One More Time
by veritaserumkills
Summary: Hermione tried accepting Ron's death. She even married Charlie. When she finds she may not have to, will she risk her marriage and repeating a horrible branch of history to be with Ron, or accept it and move on? Post DH. Full summary inside, kinda AU?
1. Prologue

So...it's been awhile...

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, or any of the characters.

Ships: Charlie/Hermione; Ron/Hermione; maybe some Harry/Ginny and George/Angelina, just for kicks.

There will be spoilers; takes place post DH, pre-19 years later.

Full Summary: Hermione's tried her best to go on living since Ron died. She's moved on. She's even married Charlie Weasley. But when she discovers something that could allow her to go back to the way things used to be, she has to make a difficult choice. Will she risk her marriage and repeating a terrible branch of history to be with Ron again, or accept his death and truly move on with Charlie?

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><p><strong>I'm running.<strong>

_Everything is dark, but for the fires popping up here and there, in the courtyard, on the tops of towers, down by the forest..._

**Running like I've never ran before in my life.**

_There are explosions, sparks, jets of dangerous light flying in every direction, barely missing my face..._

**I don't look back. I look forward. To my destination. To the future. To something else, anything else, anything but this.**

_It's dusty, I'm surrounded by a cloud of dust from the ceiling collapsing in front of me, and there are cries of pain and victory and anguish..._

**I can't stop. I won't. I keep running.**

_I just need to see him, to hear him, to feel him, just one more time, just to know that he's okay..._

**I'm falling. Falling into a hole. A pit of nothing. A pit of darkness.**

_And then he's there, he's across the hall, finding me just as I'm finding him, running at me through a sea of curses and debris..._

**I try to scream. I have to scream.**

_I see it before it happens, and I can't do a thing to stop it. I yell, I call his name, one more time, just one last time..._

**My lungs won't work. They won't open properly.**

_But it's too late, and he's widening his eyes as he stares death in the face, __realizing his fate a second too late, only a second, but it's big enough to make a difference..._

**I scream. I scream as loud as I possibly can before my lungs give out again.**

_And he looks at me, one more time, just one last time, and I know. I know everything he's ever said and never said and never going to say, I know it all right then with that one look he's giving me..._

**Everything is gone. Everything is dark, and empty, and cold.**

_He's on the ground, a broken shell of what was, of what used to be my everything, my future, the love of my life..._

**I feel numb.**

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><p>"No..."<p>

"Hermione..."

"No!"

"Wake up, Love-"

"NO! DON'T GO!"

"Hermione!"

"Come back! COME BACK! NO! NO...no..._no_..."

Suddenly, I'm not in that hole anymore. I'm not even in the middle of a war. The war's been over for years, I remind myself as I open my terribly damp eyes, taking in the scene before me. The bedroom is pooled in the dim light of Charlie's bedside lamp, and his arms are around me, protecting me from things I don't need protecting from anymore. No one's going to hurt me ever again...Voldemort's gone...the snatchers are gone...Bellatrix Lestrange is gone...

And it hits me again, like a train carrying nothing but boulders and bricks...

_He's gone._

"Ron," I sob, turning my head into Charlie's chest. "_No_...no..._Ron_..."

And once I've started, I can't stop. I'm curling up in his arms, defenseless and childlike once more, wishing endlessly for the one thing that will never be, the one thing I can never have no matter how hard I try, no matter how badly I want it...

"It's okay, Love," Charlie whispers into my hair. "I'm here...nothing's ever going to hurt you again..."

And even though he keeps saying these things, repeats them more times than I can count, just like every other night this has happened, it doesn't matter. He can say it all he wants, but it won't ever be true. Because it will always hurt me. It's a pain I will never be numb to, always a thorn in my side, a constant reminder of what could have been...

I feel guilty as I begin to breathe normally and come back to my senses. It always happens this way. I go to bed fine, I catch myself some sleep some nights. But then I see It again as I'm sleeping, imagining the moment that defined my life, the moment I lost everything, the moment _he_ was taken away from me for good. Then I'm awake, and my husband is soothing me-my poor, undeserving husband-over the death of his own brother. I'm not just reminding him of what he lost; I'm reminding him that I lost it, too, and that I'd rather have his brother alive and well and with me than be spending my nights with him in this bed.

The guilt catches up with me, and I'm crying again as soon as I've calmed down. I know that I've reminded him of all this and I feel just pathetic for doing so. I'm a sad excuse for a human being. But Charlie plays the game well; he lies, he tells me he just wants me happy, just wants me to stop having nightmares about the past. He pretends he doesn't know the awful truth about me. About us.

I know Harry used to have nightmares about it, too. He used to wake up in the middle of the night, shaking, in a cold sweat, sometimes yelling out names. People he'd destroyed. People he'd loved. People he'd lost.

Ginny told me all of this once, after I confided in her about my dreams. Was it normal, five years down the road, to still be seeing war scenes, to be imagining It every time I closed my eyes? I hadn't even witnessed It; It was just another terrifying experience that Harry had to go alone. For once, I'm glad he had to go it alone. The last thing I want is to really know…to really see It.

Of course, I'd already known he was having the dreams before she told me this. I just thought they had stopped. Certainly, they'd grown fewer and further between, at least the way she'd told it, they had. I've been the same way. Luckily, I'd made it down from every night to every other, and now to maybe three times a week at most. Harry has done the same. But there are nights he can't sleep. Nights he wakes up in a fit of tears. But it isn't always the same. Sometimes it's Remus. Sometimes Fred. Sometimes Sirius. Sometimes-

I hate thinking about it. It's one thing for me to dwell on it. For other people to suffer, that makes it less bearable. Then, it isn't just in my head. It's real…

Charlie gets up to get me a glass of water. It's strange, but the moment he stands up, I want him back. I want someone there to hold me, someone there for me to feel, to know I'm not completely alone in all of this. And the moment he comes back, I'm wrapped up in him again, the glass of water forgotten. I'm sobbing that I'm sorry. He's reassuring me that there's nothing to be sorry for. Again, with the pretending...

I hate pretending, but there have been times that I felt it was the only way to get on with life. To pretend that when work was over, I'd floo back to a little flat outside the city, kick off my heels and walk into the sitting room to find him there, waiting with a smile on his face. To pretend that my Ron would be waiting to hear about how awful the office is, how I must have Chinese for dinner or else go mad. Waiting to hear me profess how much I love him and how deeply and that he was never allowed to leave me, not for a minute, because the thought of living without him made me want to curl up and die. And he would shut me up and rid me of my petty worries with a good snog, then drag me out to the Chinese restaurant a few blocks away. We would get takeout and eat about half before deciding that we were full or had more important things to do. We would fall asleep in each other's arms after the more important things were finished, fall into a peaceful slumber, and wake up and go to work so that we could live out that day again...and again...

But there have been times when I had to be painfully realistic with myself. Times when I would purposefully stop by the joke shop in Diagon Alley after a long day at the office, during which I replayed that scenario again and again in my head. I'd stop in and ask to see George, and we would hug, and talk about the Weasleys that were left, and he would shout at children not to pocket things. Then I would see the picture behind the counter of him and Fred. I would think of that horrible rainy day, five years ago, when the sky cried with us as we buried one of the best men I had ever known from the best family I had ever known. It would take me back to a similar day, a year later, when we had to do it all again. Different man. Same family. Reality would hit. I'd excuse myself, mumbling something about needing to be home before Charlie, and practically run out of the store before George could say another word. Before either of us had a chance to acknowledge that the other was suffering. If it's all in our heads, we can go out and pretend to be distracted later, have another failed attempt at forgetting. If we're sad in front of each other, it becomes real. We have to accept, once and for all, that they're gone. That they're never going to come back.

After five years, you'd think we'd be ready to do that. After getting married and moving on in our careers, you'd think we could have filled the gaping holes left by our best friends, or at least shrink them down a bit. It's obvious, and painfully so, that neither of us has even thought to start on that endeavor. No, when it gets difficult, we just pretend long enough for the pain to subside, until it becomes bearable to breathe again.

Tonight, it's calm outside. It's warm, but there's a soft breeze. The type of breeze most people would find peaceful or calming. I just find it eerie. But whenever I dream like this, everything becomes eerie.

Charlie turns off the lamp and we lie back in bed to get more comfortable. He's got one arm around my shoulders, his hand reaching up to stroke my hair. His other hand drifts up and down my side, his fingers working a calming feeling into me, almost like magic, unlike any I've ever known. I let myself wrap my arms around his abdomen and my face falls against his chest. He rests his head on mine, occasionally planting kisses in my hair.

Tonight, I don't want to think. I just want to sleep. For once in my life, I want to sleep peacefully, without any dreams, without any memories, without anything dark clouding my thoughts. As I'm drifting off, I hear his slight snores, a tell tale sign that he's fallen back asleep, still wrapping himself around me protectively. I smile slightly to myself, realizing how lucky I am. Then the last few tears roll as I think that, for once in my life, I don't want to be crying over Ron Weasley.

But just before I drop off, I concede that maybe it's okay to do so one more time. Just one last time.


	2. A Little Bit Stronger

A/N: I'm really not one for author's notes because I'd rather you all spend your time reading the actual story and not have to worry about everything I have to go on about all the time, so I'll make this one a bit longer and hope I don't need to make too many after this. I hope you all enjoyed the prologue, first of all! I appreciate your reviews, and I'd love all of your constructive criticism and insight! :D

This isn't a time travel fic by the way…incase that might be driving you away…no worries, all will be well. ;)

This fic will be focusing on Romione (Ron and Hermione) as a ship, with Charmione (Charlie and Hermione) being the second ship. Though Harry/Ginny and George/Angelina will be around, they won't be the primary or probably not even the secondary or at all major focus in this particular story. (This is probably a good thing, because my experience with writing both of those ships is 0, so it would be a disaster.)

I'm trying to get a couple chapters done this week before I got back to school on Saturday. I have band camp all next week, so hopefully all I'll have to do is spend a few nights editing and be able to publish a chapter, depending on what gets done before Saturday! Expect updates about once a week, and no more than a week apart. I won't do that to you guys without an explanation and compensation of some sort.

Bear with me as the next few chapters will generally be background information so that we can really have a strong foundation by the time we hit the plot. The less time we spend on explanations then, the more time we'll have to get down to it!

In this chapter, I'm giving info on my favorites-the Weasleys! Now you can see what they've been up to since the war ended. Next chapter will probably be quite a lot of Hermione's relationships with Charlie and George. Those are important.

And not too long after that, we will go back six years in Hermione's mind. And then we can get going. So thank you in advance for being patient.

Don't worry, Ron lovers (he's my favorite, too). I'm working on it!

This chapter was very easy and yet very difficult to write…as will be obvious by the end…

OH! And I'm trying this thing where I put lyrics from a different song at the beginning and end of each chapter. Just the song that I feel characterizes that particular chapter. A suggestion for something to listen to while reading, but not necessary at all! You can ignore it entirely if you want.

Okay, end crazy rant about story. Haha, thank you for putting up with it, and please, enjoy!

Disclaimer: Harry Potter is J.K. Rowling's; the song is by Sara Evans.

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><p><em>Woke up late today, and I still feel the sting of the pain,<em>

_But I brushed my teeth anyway._

_I got dressed through the mess_

_And put a smile on my face..._

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><p>I woke up suddenly, casting my arms over my eyes like a shield. The sun was streaming through the curtains like a firework show, burning my pupils. I groaned and rolled out of bed, rubbing my eyes and trying to figure out what day it was, and why Charlie wasn't still sleeping.<p>

I glanced at the clock. 11:20 on a Saturday morning. Relief flooded me as I realized I wasn't supposed to be at work or anywhere important, so I lay back against the mattress, completely sprawled out, and sighed. It was going to be a nice day; I could tell by the way the birds were singing. There was nothing shrill about their voices; they were simply cheerful and ready to go about their day. I thought I even heard a woodpecker burrowing its way into a tree in the distance.

I sat up suddenly. The Burrow. Where we were supposed to be for lunch at 11:30 and I'd only just woken up.

"Charlie," I called as I gathered up my towels from the linen closet. "Charlie, where are you?"

"Down here, Love," I heard him shout back from the sitting room. I leaned over the wooden staircase and smiled down at him, sitting in an armchair against the far wall with the Daily Prophet cracked open (probably to the sports pages). "I sent Mum an owl that we were running late so she won't be worried. I couldn't bear to wake you, you looked so peaceful..."

"I won't be long," I told him and ran back past our bedroom, into the bathroom and yanked on the shower knobs. I needed this shower so badly; I could feel the germs and dirt crawling on my skin. I kept it short and hopped out of the water; as good as it felt to stand in, and into a fluffy white towel, letting my wet hair hang around my face. It was a bit shorter than it had been before, when it dangled at my shoulders. Now, it was maybe an inch past my chin.

As I stood in front of our bedroom wardrobe, glancing back and forth between blouses, I felt Charlie come up behind me. He wrapped is arms around my middle and planted wet kisses on my neck.

"Mm...You taste delightful..."

"Charlie," I scolded. "I have to get ready. We're going to be so late."

He continued down my neck. "They already expect us late. We can just...use that to our advantage...no one will-OW!" I pulled out of his arms before I had the chance to stomp on his foot again.

"I don't want to keep everyone waiting. And it's the one day this month everyone can be there. What if someone has to leave before we get there? No, don't, just let me finish."

Charlie sighed and shook his head. "Too responsible for your own good."

"For _your_ good, you mean."

He smiled. "Yeah, exactly what I mean. Alright, but if it takes you more than five minutes...what a waste..."

I rolled my eyes at him and smiled despite myself. He was right, it was a pity. But I wasn't going to admit that to him, or we'd never get out of the house.

Ten minutes later, we were apparating from our cottage to a garden blooming with more flowers than I'd ever seen. Molly had never put so much into it before that summer. It still looked as astounding as it had a month prior, at Percy and Audrey's wedding. It was odd for me to think that all the Weasleys had been married off for just more than an entire month. All but two, anyway...

Charlie grabbed my hand and, with a reassuring smile and squeeze, we walked up the lawn to The Burrow, where the aroma of what promised to be a delicious lunch was drifting from the windows, followed by the excited cries and laughter of young children. Another thing that I found hard to get used to: the Weasley children having children of their own. Arthur and Molly were already the proud grandparents of four young children, and I was more than sure there was at least twice that amount looming in the future.

The second we opened the door, a kitchen full of red-heads and their spouses overwhelmed us with cries of welcome and laughter. Harry waved at me from the far corner, his arm around Ginny's shoulders and a sparkle in his vivid green eyes. I barely had time to wonder what he was up to when Molly enveloped me in a warm hug. Victoire and Dominique tackled Charlie's legs and he had to squat down to their level to hear what they were telling him-or, trying to tell him, as much of what Dominique said was jumbled and overpowered by her older sister's much more sophisticated voice. "It'll be another twenty minutes before it's all ready," Molly announced. "And I was afraid you two would be a lot later than you are! Might as well have spared the owl, by the time it got here!"

"Just being safe, Mum," Charlie told her. "Didn't want to keep you lot waiting."

"It wouldn't have been an issue if I hadn't overslept," I apologized. "All these extra hours at the office have me sleep deprived."

"You know, Hermione, if you worked any more than you already do," George said from a seat to my left, where he was bouncing a young, dark-haired boy on his knee, "I'd think you were living out of your desk at the Ministry."

"Tell them you need a break," Arthur added. "I'm sure no one else in the office works nearly as hard as you do. You deserve a lighter load, and they know that."

It was true. Working in the law department required hours of research and reading on top of the reports we had to file during office hours. It was especially difficult whenever I had to pick up some of the others' slack. It was a miracle if I ever got out by five.

"I can't help that my job requires so much," I said defensively. "Not this early in my career, anyway. I'm sure it'll all settle down in a few months, once this Goblin strike gets sorted out. It's just a matter of-oomph! Oh, hello, Love," I cooed, looking down into the mischievous face of my godson, James, who had just attacked my leg. I picked him up and he nearly suffocated me when he wrapped his little pale arms around my neck and laid his head against my shoulder.

"My-mee," he gurgled. "My-mee, my-mee, my-mee!"

I smiled to myself. It was close enough. He looked up at me and was taken over by a fit of giggles. "Oh, Jamsie, I've missed you," I told him, planting little kisses all over his tiny face. "You're getting to be so big, such a big boy! I still can't believe he's already a year old," I said to Ginny, who shook her head.

"Got our hands full, that's for sure." She glanced furtively at Harry as she said this. He was watching his son clap his hands in excitement and reach for Bill's Brittany terrier, Saber, who stood on her hind legs behind me, trying to get to him. It was easy to tell from the glow on his face that he loved being a father more than anything.

"Dog-oo," James cried. "Dog-oo, My-mee."

"You be careful," I warned as I set him down next to Saber, who sat back and licked James's outstretched hands. James shrieked in excitement and little Fred, his partner in crime, pried himself from George's arms to join in the adventure.

"Puppy!" Fred cried. "Puppy, puppy!" I watched the pair cry in delight as they stroked the brave dog roughly for a few moments before I took the empty seat across from Harry, on Angelina's right, leaving room for Charlie (still under his nieces' control) between myself and Bill.

"How are things at The Prophet?" I asked Ginny. "Did you get that article done, from the other day? I felt horrible, distracting you when you should have been working."

Ginny waved her hand, indicating that our shopping excursion a week earlier had been nothing.

"Finished it in an hour afterwards. The Prophet's been pretty lax lately, what with the Quidditch season coming to an end. It'll be nice to have a break, though. I'll get to spend some more time with James."

The little boy looked up at the sound of his name and grinned ear to ear at his mum. "Dog-oo, Mummy! Dog-oo!" Saber licked his ear before turning to Fred and giving him a face full of dog spit. Fred scrunched his eyes closed until he was done and both boys squealed.

Harry watched the three of them, completely mesmerized. I struck up a conversation with Angelina, asking about her parents. I was lucky to have the sister-in-laws I had (even Fleur). The five of us frequently got together for lunch, play dates, shopping trips, and even Quidditch games with the boys. As we moved our conversation to the joke shop, George joining in, I saw Harry give a fleeting smile in the dog's direction before he turned round to address his wife.

"Ginny-"

"No, Harry, we've talked about this," Ginny said pointedly before he could even get the words out. "No dogs in the house."

"But look at him," Harry pleaded, nodding at James. "He loves Saber! And dogs are so protective. We'd have an extra pair of eyes around the house then-"

"What makes you so sure he won't just cause more trouble?" Ginny said as she crossed her arms. "It might end up being more destructive than helpful."

"I think you should reconsider, Gin," Bill advised. "Saber keeps an eye on the girls, like Harry said. Kept them out of trouble even when we were watching them a few times."

Ginny scrunched up her nose, obviously upset by her brother undermining her. "Doesn't he make a mess of things, ever?"

Bill shrugged. "Maybe at first. Chewed up a shoe or two when he was a pup, and there were a few incidents before he was potty trained, of course. But you could always get one that's already trained. Maybe a rescue."

Harry looked at her hopefully and she sighed. "We'll see. Don't go celebrating, now. That wasn't a yes," she added when he looked triumphantly at Saber, who was now scratching behind his ear.

At least, he was before James and Fred tackled him to the floor. The poor dog simply lay on his side and allowed the boys-who ignored all of Victoire's cries to be careful with her dog-to climb on him.

"Hermione and I were thinking about getting a dog," Charlie said. He had finally freed himself of the girls as they rescued their dog and taken his place next to me. His hand found my knee and I placed mine on top of his, caressing it. I couldn't help but watch him fondly as he spoke. "The real challenge is finding one that'll get along with Crookshanks."

"Though we might not have to worry about that much longer," I said sadly.

Charlie squeezed my knee. "Don't think like that. Crookshanks has been doing just fine lately."

I shook my head and looked at Harry. "He's getting on a bit, Crookshanks. I'm starting to worry."

Harry frowned slightly. "Have you taken him to Magical Menagerie?"

I nodded. "They just said it's old age. Nothing that can be done. It's anyone's guess how long he's got left."

Angelina smiled and patted my hand sympathetically. "That's a brilliant cat you've got, Hermione. I'm sure he'll let you know when something goes wrong. Just enjoy him for now."

It wasn't long after this that Percy and his new wife, Audrey, appeared in the fireplace and joined the rest of the Weasley clan at the kitchen table, Molly fussing over them the entire time. Audrey looked a bit peaky, but was still as beautiful as ever. The rest of the Weasley brides always made me feel as though I paled in comparison (Fleur particularly), but Charlie always insisted that I was, by far, the most beautiful. I insisted he was far too skilled at charming women.

After several more minutes of us fawning over the children, helping to set the table, and catching up on everyone's lives, both in and out of work, Molly announced that lunch was finally ready. Even with all of us having a full plate or two of food to occupy us, the table was louder than ever throughout the entire meal. The last of the Quidditch matches were being dissected play by play; Victoire was asking Harry about Teddy, who was out with Andromeda for the day; George was giving his father an update on the shop. Everyone had something to say, including myself, though it was difficult to ask Harry about the latest goings on in the Auror department with Victoire butting in every five seconds or James splattering his vegetables across the room.

"I swear they're trying to hit each other," George laughed, wiping apple sauce of his son's chin. "They'd have given me and Fred a run for our galleons, these two-"

"That's reassuring," Ginny huffed jokingly. "Just what we need, another set of trouble makers in the family."

We all laughed along, and I knew we all secretly were hoping the same thing-that they kept up their trouble making behavior. James and Fred's bond seemed to be part of what kept George going these days. And anything that kept George from reverting back to the sad, emotionless shell of a human he was seven years ago was heavily supported by the Weasleys. Actually, anything that allowed him to say Fred's name was a godsend.

As the scraping of plates subsided and the dishes began to float into the sink, bathing themselves, everyone leaned back in their chairs, stretching and patting their stomachs, openly regretting that they'd consumed so much of the delicious food, but scrapping those statements when Molly pulled out the puddings as if they'd never said them. As always, Molly's food was heavenly, and I was wondering myself if I'd have to start buying clothes a size bigger simply for these occasions when Percy cleared his throat at the opposite end of the table, signaling for our attention. Only James and Fred, who were now wearing their bowls on their heads (Fred's idea), ignored him.

"Well...it's weird to be here like this, isn't it?" Percy began. "I mean, we're all married now. With families...branches of the family, I should say." He looked around nervously, and I was unsure of what he was getting at. Charlie and I exchanged confused looks and I caught Harry examining his fingernails out of the corner of my eye.

"Well...anyway...I just wanted to say..." He paused for a moment. "Well, the Weasley clan's going to be getting a bit bigger. We're having a baby."

George choked on his drink behind me and Molly squealed. Bill and Fleur looked absolutely delighted, the first patting his younger brother on the back while the latter hugged Audrey tightly.

"A _baby_, Percy!" Molly exclaimed. "I can hardly believe it!"

"Me either," George muttered, and Angelina elbowed him. She didn't have the look of joy the others had; simply one of surprise. Ginny and Harry, too, were having a silent conversation that I couldn't quite make out. I decided to follow Fleur's example in congratulating Audrey (her peakiness now explained) while Charlie joined Bill in celebrating with Percy. Arthur stood up and headed for the higher cabinets.

"I think this calls for a bit of celebration," he said cheerfully. "As all the grandchildren do!" He pulled out a bottle of firewhisky and several small glasses shot neatly to the table. Fred watched them floating in awe while James looked from person to person, trying to figure out what the fuss was about. Victoire and Dominique jumped up and down behind their mother in delight, chanting, "We're gonna get a cousin, we're gonna get a cousin."

"You already have couzeens," Fleur reminded them.

"Yes," Victoire said impatiently. "But they're _boys_._ We_ want_ girl_ cousins."

"And what will you do if Audrey has a boy?" Charlie asked in amusement. Victoire scowled at him.

"They're going to have a _girl_, Uncle Charlie," Victoire insisted. "_Trust me_. They will. I can _feel_ it."

Charlie caught my eye and we both looked away quickly, stifling laughter. "Well, if you're_ so sure_ about it, then it _must_ be so," Charlie surrendered, the corners of his mouth twitching.

"Audrey, this is wonderful!" I exclaimed as I hugged my newest sister-in-law. "I can't believe it. You must be so excited."

"Neither can I," Audrey admitted, all smiles. "It's taking awhile to sink in. But I am, I-we really are so happy." She looked at Percy lovingly and he returned the gaze.

"Well, congratulations, you two. That's-that's really something, Percy," Harry stammered a bit awkwardly. Fleur and I looked at him curiously, wondering why he was acting so oddly. Neither he nor George had said much since Percy had made his announcement, and Angelina was now watching Harry with raised eyebrows. Ginny was giggling to herself. None of the four of them had bothered to congratulate the couple until now. "You know, we'll have to set up play dates. It'll probably be best if the kids get along early. Don't want them to be fighting when they room together at Hogwarts."

"If they get sorted together," Audrey pointed out. "And, of course, they'll be in different years."

"No," Ginny said slowly. "Not...not _all_ of them. _Some_ of them might be..._closer_ together in age than_ others_." Everyone turned to look curiously at Ginny. "Well, knowing this family, they might end up with, er, a cousin who's born about the same time."

Molly, the only one who seemed to be making any sense of what Ginny saying, put a hand to her heart. "Ginny! Are you..._you don't mean..._?"

"Us, too," Harry smiled, unable to hold back his excitement anymore. "We're going to have another baby."

I was somewhat surprised that Percy and Audrey were as ecstatic as they were. If someone had added their own news to such a big announcement-especially if it was something they had done before-I'd have been a bit put off by them taking some of the spotlight. But instead, the two pairs of expecting parents hugged each other in turns and congratulated one another, exchanging plans for the future.

"We were going to say something after dessert," Ginny apologized to Audrey. "We never wanted to take your moment. But we figured, well, might as well get it all out in the open now."

"Oh, no, this is fantastic!" Audrey enthused. "How spectacular! Two babies at once, this is going to be-"

George started laughing loudly, and everyone turned to look. "Sorry, no, go on," he choked out. "Congratulations-you have no idea-oh, Merlin, who'd have thought," he said, wiping a tear from his eye and looking at Angelina briefly before addressing everyone else. "Three Weasley babies at once!"

And then the kitchen exploded for the third time that day. Three babies. Three! I'd figured it couldn't be long before Molly and Arthur were grandparents again, but I never expected the next set of grandchildren to come in such a 'boom'. It took several minutes for everyone to get calmed down enough to be able to hear each other again. I hugged Harry for the third time before we sat back down for celebratory pudding.

"I can't believe it," Molly said through her sobs after hugging George. "Three grandchildren at once! We'll be busy next Christmas, that's for sure."

"Well, now that half the family's been outted," Ginny said. "Anything you want to tell us? Bill? Hermione?"

I nearly dropped my fork. Bill laughed and said the two girls he had already were more than enough to handle. Everyone turned to Charlie and me.

"We were thinking of getting a dog," I said quietly, and the table erupted in laughter.

I was quite glad they didn't press the matter further than that. Charlie was giving me enough about it as it was. We had barely been married a full year, and already he was talking about children. As if work wasn't giving me enough trouble. Pudding was a quiet affair for me, as I listened to everyone else talk excitedly about the soon-to-be-arriving children, my husband included.

It was going to be a bit hellish when we got home.

"Fancy a walk, Hermione?" I looked up across the table warily, though I knew exactly what Harry meant before I did. No. I _didn't_ fancy a walk. But I most certainly _needed_ it. And I knew-just by looking at his eyes, I knew-that he needed it nearly as much as I did, bursting with joy though he was. So I nodded. "George?"

"Yeah, alright," George agreed with a hint of darkness in his voice.

"We won't be long," Harry reassured the rest of the Weasleys, who were all staring at us nervously in the silence, as though we were about to combust. "Really, we'll be back in a few minutes," he continued as he held the door open for George and me, closing it tightly behind him. I grabbed his hand immediately and he held it tightly, charging me with as much support as he could muster. We walked slowly; George and Harry were very much aware of the way I hated these walks.

We took them every time the three of us were here together. I expected that George took them more frequently. Harry and I never took these walks unless we were together, and rarely without George present. The more we walked, the tighter I gripped Harry's hand. We were just a few yards away now...I could see our destination...

And then we were there. It looked too cheerful and well kept to be a grave site. Molly and Arthur made sure to take excellent care of the area. The grass was always fresh, brilliantly green, and neatly cut. A plethora of flowers sprung out of the ground around the headstones. Two of them, like twins.

I wondered if George ever wished that the other was his. Then they really would have been twins. I knew I sometimes wished one of them was mine, and I always regretted it. But that never stopped me from thinking it at moments such as these. I hoped more than anything that he didn't feel that way. No one should ever feel such a thing.

"Can you believe it, Fred?" George said finally. "Percy, married and popping out kids before you. I never thought that'd be possible." He drew a ragged breath. "It was empty without you two today."

Harry chuckled. "No one was there to give me hell for knocking up their sister."

"No worries, bro," George muttered at the headstone on our right. "I'll take care of it for you later."

It was so wrong. Here they were, talking as if they could actually hear them. They were _dead_, for Merlin's sake. They had nothing to hear with. Even George, with his one ear, had a better shot of hearing things than they did.

"What do you think of it, Hermione?" Harry asked in his most soothing voice. And yet, I still couldn't find the words I needed. I knew what I thought of it. I thought it was hell. It was the most disgusting form of torture for us who were stuck with living. I couldn't watch all these people moving on with their lives, bringing new people into the world, when two perfectly good people were lying here in the ground. I would have rather these two people come back than new people show up. But how does one say such a thing, even to the dead?

"I miss you," I said finally, looking, as George had, at the tombstone on the right. "I miss you so much. And I-" I stopped to compose myself. "You should really be here, is what I think of it. Both of you. You should be here to see your nephews and nieces."

Harry gripped my hand more tightly.

"That they should," George whispered, not bothering with the tears racing down his cheeks.

I looked at Harry. He was staring back and forth between the graves, grief in every inch of his face. A single tear made its way down his face. He finally caught my eye and nodded.

"Well, we just...we just wanted you to know, about the babies. And we all miss you," he added. "All of us. More than you could ever imagine."

I broke away from Harry for a moment as George kneeled before the stone on the left and said his own quiet goodbyes to his twin brother. I stopped in front of the other stone. I couldn't bear to look at the words etched there, a permanent reminder of what had become of my hopes and dreams.

These walks ruined my pretending games. It was much easier to pretend when you're far away from the familiar; it was much harder when the familiar, tainted with evidence of loss and tragedy, was staring you in the face.

I kissed my finger tips and pressed them against the top of the stone. It was warm in the sun of late June. I kept looking at the ground. He was right there, right beneath me. I had to look at him for this, didn't I? Or at least in his direction. My eye caught the "October 1999" just above the carefully manicured grass.

Six years...how could I have been doing this for nearly six years?

"I love you," I whispered, not once blinking or moving my fingers from the stone. It was so wrong. It shouldn't have been like this. It should never have happened. He should have been able to hear me tell him this. He should have been able to say it back.

"Ready?" Harry asks. I wondered how he could have recovered so quickly; his voice wasn't so broken anymore. Even George had stopped crying now, and the two of them were waiting for me.

There was so much I had never said. So much I had still burning inside me to be let out. But I couldn't. He wouldn't hear it, not really. What was the point? I nodded and reluctantly pulled myself away. It was too hard to tear myself away from him. I just wanted to stay with them-with _him_-under the dirt and flowers, far away from everything else.

As soon as I turned my back, though, I wanted to get as far away as possible. I wiped the few tears that had escaped from my eyes away quickly and grabbed for Harry's hand again. And, as always, it was there, waiting for mine. I pulled myself out of whatever pit I was in and tuned into their conversation. Babies this. Babies that. Babies, babies, and more babies. I was excited, I had to admit. I loved James more than anything; I didn't dare tell anyone but Harry that he was my favorite of the Weasley grandkids by far. Imagining another little Potter made my heart swell with joy, despite the emotional roller coaster I had just hopped off of.

As always, we stopped just short of the kitchen door. We could hear the excited chitter chatter leaking through the windows, Victoire and Dominique laughing at something Charlie was saying as James and Fred shrieked loudly. We each took a deep breathe and released.

"Everyone okay?" Harry asked, knowing he was the most stable of us. George nodded.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm good. Hermione?"

I chanced one last look behind me, to where Fred and Ron Weasley slept peacefully beside each other, forever resting at their childhood home.

"Yes," I said finally, turning front again. "Yes, I'm alright. Let's go in. We've got some celebrating to do."

And so the three of us returned to what remained of the Weasley clan, ready to do enough celebrating for us and our beloved best friends.

* * *

><p><em>I know my heart will never be the same,<em>

_But I'm telling myself I'll be okay._

_Even on my weakest days_

_I get a little bit stronger._


	3. But Fair Ain't What You Really Need

A/N: So, I was dying to post. I know, so much for keeping my updates regular. Oh well…I don't know when my next update will be, though. I haven't even started the next chapter, but it'll go quick because I am dying to finish/publish chapter five (I wrote ahead; I'm horrible). Three will be within a week, I swear…

I am loving this story more and more with each detail I add and each chapter I outline. I just hope you all end up loving it half as much as I do.

Another fun thing is picking out songs for the chapters…so if you know a song that reminds you of one of the ships or the story or you just like it, hit me up! I'd appreciate suggestions. (_Stop and Stare_ is by OneRepublic. It was beyond difficult to pick one part of the song to use, and I really suggest listening to the song in its entirety because it just fits so perfectly for this chapter. At least, IMO.)

And thanks for the reviews! The more I get, the more driven I am to write…just saying…haha.

To the anon who said that Hermione with anyone but Ron is wrong…WE ARE ON THE SAME PAGE! You don't even know!

To the rest of you…pretty much just wait for chapter five. It's gonna be SICK.

Dang. So much for not liking long author's notes…I gotta compensate for the lack of Ron, I suppose…enjoy!

* * *

><p><em>This town is colder now; I think it's sick of us.<em>

_It's time to make our move. I'm shaking off the rust._

_I've got my heart set on anywhere but here._

_I'm staring down myself, counting up the years._

* * *

><p>After hours of celebrating with the family, I finally decided it was time to get home. Charlie managed to free himself from his nieces' clutches and, after congratulating half the family again, we apparated to our little cottage from the front lawn.<p>

We had barely stepped inside when Charlie grabbed me and turned me to face him, pressing his lips firmly to mine. I threw my arms around his neck and responded enthusiastically, stroking the back of his neck with my finger tips. We walked forward (or, in my case, backward) until we found the sofa with our legs and fell back onto it.

"I've been dying to get you home for hours," Charlie whispered as he kissed behind my ear, sending shivers down my entire body. I moaned and spread my legs just enough for him to lie comfortably between them.

"I could tell...you kept looking at me...like...oh, gosh...you were undressing me-ah...in your mind."

Charlie brought his face up from my collar bone and grinned wickedly. "I was. And now," he said, undoing the first button on my top, "I can." The second button. "For real."

We kissed deeply for a few moments before he finally lifted his face away from mine, gazing into my eyes as he breathed heavily. I ran my thumbs over his very thin beard, which made him look more incredibly sexy and alluring than ever before, and then moved them down his neck to rest on his broad shoulders.

"Hermione, I want to tell you something," he said softly, kissing my forehead. "Don't freak out, okay?"

I already knew what he was going to say. My heart cringed in anticipation, wondering what I could possibly say to get out of it before it got too in depth. "Hmm?" I asked, pretending I didn't know what was coming.

Charlie took in a deep breath. "I want to have a baby with you."

And there it was. I bit my lower lip, contemplating the best route to go. "Charlie-"

"I know, we've kinda talked about it before," he cut in quickly. "But you always said you wanted kids. And you know I want them. It won't be long before Mum starts bugging us about it, either, so why not just get it out of the way?"

I sighed and closed my eyes, trying to think. I couldn't possibly get my thoughts together when I was staring into his warm, brown eyes. "It's not that I _don't_ want children."

"Then what _is_ it?"

I snapped my eyes back open, ready to present my defense. "Well, all your family is having them now. Don't you think that'd make it a bit chaotic?"

Charlie laughed. "We're Weasleys. We know how to handle chaotic, especially when it comes to a room full of children."

"But it's Audrey and Percy's first, and Ginny and George are already taking the spotlight off of them," I spilled quickly. "And I don't want to have to share that with someone else for my first child, much less three other people. I just...I think we should wait a bit longer. Just a year."

Charlie contemplated this. "A year? And then what, we get with it, or we reevaluate?"

"Well, reevaluate, of course," I said and he frowned. I quickly added, "And if _you're_ ready, then we'll just jump in, right then. But just think; a year could make all the difference. We'd have all of your siblings there for advice, and none them will be having another that quickly, _that's _for sure, so we'd have all the attention on our baby. And we've _only_ been married a _year_, Charlie. I want to enjoy being married just a bit longer. I want to be able to come home and do all _this_ without worrying about someone crying or bursting in at any second."

After a few moments of pondering, Charlie sighed and smiled sweetly at me. "You and your brilliance. That plan _does_ have a nice ring to it...I _do_ like being able to do _this_," he paused and kissed me, "whenever I feel like."

"See?" I told him triumphantly. "Just a year. A year can make all the difference."

"That it can. Alright, you win. But in one year, you'd better be ready. I'm going to impregnate the shit out of you."

"Charlie!" I laughed at the oddity of what he'd just said. "I can't believe you said that. It doesn't even make _sense_."

He laughed with me. "It's because you jumble my brain. I never know what I'm saying around you."

He kissed me again, and I pulled his head as close to mine as I possibly could as our tongues danced against one another's. "I love you so much," he whispered, stroking my cheek and leaning back in for more.

"We'd better get upstairs," I finally suggested with ragged breath. "I don't think I can contain myself much longer. And I know you can't."

Charlie snickered. "Yes, alright then." We sat up and I kissed him again. I moved to stand and he pulled me back down to lie on top of him. We didn't get up again for several hours.

* * *

><p>"If you work through lunch one more time, I'm going to ask your supervisor to force you on vacation."<p>

I glanced up at Harry from the report I'd been skimming through since ten that morning. "I haven't got much more to do. Just another three pages-"

"And I've only got forty minutes left on my lunch break," Harry said, snatching the file away from me. "Come on, it'll be here when you get back. I promise."

Reluctantly, I stowed the file away in a drawer, locked it, and followed him out of my office, through a few corridors, and into the elevator. We liked to take our lunch together at least once a week to keep up with each other. Usually, we hit up a Muggle restaurant and ogled over pictures of James or dissected each other's work load. Harry swore my insight was the reason they'd put several people in Azkaban, but I figured he always exaggerated exactly how helpful I was.

"I was thinking Ruben's today," Harry said as we stepped in line for a fireplace. "I'm dying for some of those ribs."

"Oh, that does sound good," I admitted. "Yes, let's do that then. I've been craving those for awhile, too."

We stepped into the first alley we could in the streets of London and apparated into another a few blocks away. A few people gave us funny looks when we stepped onto the street, obviously wondering why a well dressed couple of people were coming out of an alley way (and probably how we'd gotten there in the first place). We kept to our business though and headed inside Ruben's. It was a nice little diner with some of the best food I'd had since the days of Hogwarts feasts. Harry and I were frequent visitors.

"Alrigh', you two?" Karen, the head waitress, asked with a smile. "It's been abou' two weeks since I last seen you in here. Though' somethin' mighta happened to ya!"

"Just busy with work," Harry informed her with a wave of his hand. "And Hermione here has taken to working through her lunch breaks."

Karen shook her head. "Won' do ya any good, tha' won'. Ya need a break e'ry now an' again, missy." She grinned toothily as we squeezed ourselves into a booth by the window. "An' you know I like to have you two come an' visit me. Keeps thin's lively, havin' regulars to talk to."

I smiled apologetically. "Well, I'll just have to start taking my lunch on time, then, I suppose. I can't have you cooped up here without any form of entertainment."

"Now, that's wha' I like to hear!" Karen said happily. "Just a mo', I'll get your drinks. And you'll be havin' the ribs today?"

She was back with our drinks in a matter of seconds and then headed off to place our order in the kitchen. I stirred my soda with my straw, watching the bubbles fizz throughout.

"How have you been, Hermione?" Harry asked finally.

"Fine, just fine," I answered lazily. "And how-"

"Really," he said, lowering his voice. "How have you been really?"

I sighed. It was nearly impossible to hide anything from Harry. He knew me all too well, and after fourteen years of friendship, it wasn't too surprising that he did.

"Well...better than I was Saturday," I admitted. "I haven't had much time to really dwell on anything lately. What with work and now looking for a dog-"

"Are you really going to get one?" Harry asked excitedly, swirling his straw as I was. "You know, if you do, you'll have to have a word with Ginny about it. She still not entirely sold on the idea."

Harry wanted a dog so badly that it almost hurt to hear him talk about it. Before James came around, Ginny had been eager to get a pet, but the second she found out she was pregnant, the search came to a screeching halt. I could understand it. Why spend the next few months training a puppy when you already had the stress of having a child on your shoulders? I thought she might have softened a bit by now, what with James being older and able to at least sleep through the night and hold his own bottle. Now that she was pregnant again, though, I wondered if Harry was wasting his time trying to convince her.

"Of course I will," I told him. "I think it'd be great for James. He'd learn a lot from growing up alongside a dog. And when he's older, it'll teach a bit of responsibility. Feeding it, letting it out, going on walks, you know."

Harry nodded. "I hadn't even thought of that. I'll be sure to bring up that point tonight."

He pulled his straw out of the glass, one of his fingers covering the top end, and dropped some pop into his mouth. "I love that trick."

I smiled, remembering once, a long time ago, when Harry and I had tried to teach Ron to do it. It was simple, really. You cover your straw with your finger at the top and then remove it when you get it to your mouth. He had kept moving his finger at the wrong time, spilling his water all over the table. Finally too frustrated to continue, he threw out his water in the sink, Harry and I rolling around in laughter at his failed attempts.

"Charlie wants to have a baby," I admitted finally, propping my head up with one hand.

Harry looked a bit shocked, but recovered quickly. "And?"

I sighed. "And I told him to wait a year."

"Why a year?" Harry asked in confusion. I repeated all my reasons to Harry, who nodded in approval.

"That sounds solid."

"And..."

"And?"

"I don't think I'm ready," I confessed. "I don't think I can..." I couldn't go on.

Harry placed his hand on mine. "Hermione, you would be a fantastic mother. Any child would be lucky and proud to have you as a parent."

I laughed shakily and shook my head. "No. No, a child deserves a mother who's prepared, who-who really wants them there. For the right reasons, I mean."

"The right reasons?" Harry laughed. "Are there right reasons? Certainly there are wrong reasons, but right ones?"

"Well," I said hesitantly. "I mean, I always wanted children _before_. I figured it was just something that would come with time, something you would do when it was right. I figured I'd just _know_ when. The same way I thought it would be with getting married. Sort of like the biological clock ticking. But now..." I shrugged. "It doesn't seem like some stepping stone I'm _meant_ to pass through in life anymore. It just seems like...like something I feel that I _have_ to do. I would be doing it because I felt like it was the next step in a _normal_ life. Not the next step in _my_ life."

Harry was silent. I was afraid I had offended him, and opened my mouth to apologize. "No." He held up a hand to stop me. "I'm gathering my thoughts, hang on." It was a few more painfully quiet minutes before he spoke again. "Do you think it's possible that the way you feel...well, that it might be a good enough reason?" I gaped at him. "Really. You know that if you had a baby, you wouldn't be able to do anything but love them. It might be just what you need. It'd be a _reason_ to move on."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing, but it made sense. Maybe, he was saying, maybe it wasn't that I needed to fully move on before I had a child. _Maybe I needed to have a child before I could fully move on_. This logic was so backwards from what I'd been thinking all along that I had difficult time wrapping my head around it.

"I see what you're saying," I told him finally. "And maybe you're right. But either way, now is definitely not the right time."

"What makes you so sure?" Harry asked before he sipped his drink.

"For starters, everyone is having a baby right now. And this may make me sound incredibly selfish, but I want my children's births to be something _special_, not mulled together with a bunch of other family birthdays. Plus, the way things are going in the office, they can't afford to have another person leave the department anytime soon. There's just so much going-_don't you shake your head at me, Harry Potter!_"

But he continued to do so. "Sounds like a bunch of excuses to me."

"Legitimate excuses," I corrected him. He snorted. "Not that my reproductive choices are really any of your business."

"Hey," Harry said, a bit of anger starting to flare in his eyes as he fought to keep calm. "You started this conversation."

I sighed. "You're right. I'm sorry. How much longer are these ribs going to be? I can't be late getting back."

We kept the conversation light for the rest of lunch, though the silence prevailed once our ribs arrived. Satisfied and down to our last five minutes, we said goodbye to Karen, promising to return again before the week was up, and headed back to the Ministry.

The rest of the day passed quite slowly. More reports to skim, cases to research, reports to file. I was relieved when my boss let me out at 4:30 for putting in "exceptional effort" for the day. It was a particularly lovely day outside, too. Not too hot, which was more than I could ask of late June. I decided to walk a few blocks to the Leaky Cauldron, where I ordered a butterbeer and then disappeared into Diagon Alley.

The street was less crowded than usual. I was glad the Hogwarts letters had yet to arrive, or the place would have been packed. I passed a few shops filled with Witches, Wizards, and their children without recognizing a single soul-until I literally ran into a familiar tall body.

"Sorry, Hermione," Dean Thomas apologized with a grin. "Didn't see you there. How have you been?"

"Oh, hi, Dean," I said cheerily. It had been ages since I'd seen my fellow Gryffindor. He looked better than I'd ever seen him. Still tall, dark, and handsome. A few young witches were giggling and pointing with dreamy eyes from a table at Florean Fortescue's ice cream parlor. "I've been pretty good, actually. How is Parvati? It's been far too long since I've seen either of you! Has she had the baby yet?"

"She's fantastic, and yeah, actually," Dean chirped, reaching for his wallet. "Here, I've got pictures-a girl, we've named her Zoe-"

I spent a few minutes catching up with Dean after we shuffled off to the side of the sidewalk, out of the traffic of the street. He glowed when he showed me pictures of his and Parvati's new daughter. _Is that how it's going to be?_ I wondered to myself. _Everyone popping out children left and right? A new baby announced every time I see someone from school?_ It was hardly plausible to me that we could all be adults already. And yet, here we were, paying bills, getting married, and reproducing. I seemed to be the only one who wished to go back to a simpler time when my biggest concern was memorizing antidote formulas for Slughorn's class.

Finally, Dean excused himself, obviously anxious to get back to his new little family. "It was great seeing you! Owl me sometime, we'll do lunch, yeah?"

I promised to do this (though I had no intention of doing so anytime soon) and set off again up the street, through the thinning crowd, all the way to Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.

A few witches and wizards accompanying their younger children were scattered among eager and bubbly teenagers, giggling at patented daydreams, stocking up on puking pastilles, and ogling at pygmy puffs. It didn't take me long to spot my brother-in-law, who was giving a few employees instructions behind the counter. He waved them away when he saw me and smiled brightly.

"Well, if it isn't my favorite sister-in-law!"

"Don't you let the others hear you say that," I said quietly, welcoming his hug. George gave very good hugs. I think he knew better than most that it was important to show people just how much you care about them all the time and he did so with his hugs.

"Afraid Harry will get jealous?" he asked and I laughed out loud. "Alright, I'll be careful not to let him know. If he asks, for whatever reason, who my favorite sister-in-law is, tell him it's him."

"Oh, stop," I giggled after I pulled out of his hug.

"Rough day?" It made me sad that George only ever thought I visited him because I was upset. It made me even sadder that it was true. Of course, it wasn't because I never wanted to visit him when I was happy; it was just that it was so rare for me to be happy in the first place.

"Not really. I had lunch with Harry. They let me off a bit early."

"Good," George nearly yelled. "As much as you do there, they'd better start doing that more often. How long have you been there anyway, two years?"

"Nearly," I sighed, hardly able to believe I'd been working in the branch of law involving magical creatures. I'd made quite of headway for house elves when I started off, though the laws could still use loads of work. I'd even helped out with some standard regulations for breeding and anti-cruelty laws before this goblin strike had started up a few months ago. Luckily, the goblins at Gringotts ran the bank themselves and didn't bother with the mess. It was the goblins we associated with to have crafts made that were giving us a hard time. The Ministry needed several things only goblins could make successfully, and several departments were starting to suffer from the lack of cooperation.

"I just wish we could finally clear up this mess so we could get back to regulating other laws. We should be pressing forward for other creatures, not taking steps backward. Every time we get close, someone makes a blunder, and it's back to square one."

"Sounds rough," George said sympathetically. "I dunno how you do it, dealing with all of those Idiots at the Ministry. I mean, they're certainly better than what was there a couple years ago," he admitted. "But some of them are just-hey, you pocket those, you'll be paying in more than gold tomorrow," he shouted at a couple young teens by the puking pastilles.

"What happens if they steal those?" I asked curiously.

George shrugged, moving back to his original position behind the counter. "Heck if I remember. Probably the bat bogey, if they're some of the ones Ginny jinxed."

I winced inwardly. "Ouch. So how've things been at the shop?"

"Same old, same old," George said, glancing around. "Not really much going on. Haven't had much time to work on new products with little Freddie walking now, and then with the new baby-" He stopped and grinned, seeing something in my expression. "Weird, isn't it? Being old enough to have children?"

"It's weird that George Weasley is _mature_ enough to have children," I scoffed.

He laughed. "Believe me, I'm not. No, if you want weird, just wait until you have your own. It's the weirdest feeling when you wake up and remember you have children." I groaned slightly. "Ooooh, touchy subject? Do tell." He put his head in his hands and propped them up with his elbows, watching me intensely.

"It's not a touchy subject," I snapped. He gave me a knowing look. "Well, I just hashed through the details with Harry earlier, I don't really want to-oh, fine!" I surrendered to his puppy face. It was very difficult to deny George's puppy face, even when he was joking; it reminded me so much of the times when it was there for a different reason. I'd do anything to drive that face away and spare myself-and him-the painfully memories.

I described the situation to him the same way I had done for Harry. This time, I included every excuse I had given Charlie and every opinion Harry had on the situation. When I finished, he gave a heavy sigh.

"What?"

He sauntered around the counter and sat on an unopened barrel in front of me as he grabbed both my hands. He looked as though he had very grave news.

"The problem here," George began, channeling his inner psychiatrist (which tended to be one of the best), "is not when to have children. The problem here isn't even whether or not you want children. You're just...you're being a bit picky, and you can't really afford to be."

I tilted my head to the side. "Oh, Professor Trelawney? Sounds like you've got a bit of fog in-"

He held up a hand to silence me. For once, it was not a time for jokes.

"Ron's not coming back."

It was as if he'd punched me in the gut. "I know that," I hissed after a hesitant moment of shock.

"Then accept it," George said simply. "Because the problem isn't that you don't want kids-let me finish. The problem isn't that you don't want kids. It's that you always envisioned having them with Ron. You're holding out for something that's never going to happen. Sure, now it's a year. But in a year, when Charlie's ready to go and Ron's still six feet under-" I winced, "-how long then? Another year? Five? You're not getting any younger. You're trying to pick option c on a true and false exam."

I stood there in shock. He had pretty much hit the nail on the head. A nail I hadn't realized was there before now. But as he said it, I realized that he was right. The reason I dreaded those conversations about children was the sting in my heart I felt every single time. It was, I realized, the same sting I felt whenever someone said Ron's name. Whenever I thought the words 'children' and 'me' together, they were always accompanied by 'Ron' in some way. The sting was there now, more obvious and painful than it had been in months. I could feel it seeping into my eyes.

"The real choice here," George said gently, "is whether you want to have children with Charlie or no children at all. Those are your options. There's no letter 'c'. And you don't have all the time in the world to think this one through, unfortunately."

I swallowed all the bitterness in my throat that was threatening to escape. He was ruining my pretending game again. Slashing it to bits and pieces was more like it.

"I'm right, aren't I?"

I didn't want to tell him he was. It wasn't about him getting the satisfaction; he would hardly be glad to right about something like that. If I told him he was, I would have to admit it to myself. The more I admitted to myself...the closer I was to accepting that Ron was gone forever. I still couldn't do it. For the past six years, I hadn't been able to do it. Today was no different.

"I-thanks, but I-"

"Have to beat Charlie home?" George deadpanned.

"Something like that."

He nodded. "Well, you know the shop's always open for you, Hermione. Be careful," he called after me. I kept going, not bothering to look back.

* * *

><p>I mulled over every thing George and Harry and told me for the rest of the afternoon and most of the evening. George was absolutely right, though I hated to admit it. I had been clinging to that false idea of the children I was supposed to have with Ron. But you can't have children with dead people. It was either give in to Charlie or go the rest of my life childless. I doubted my parents, with me as their only child, would appreciate the latter too much. I couldn't see myself not being a mother. It was something I was meant to do, I was certain of it. But I couldn't see them belonging to anyone else. Charlie and Ron may have been brothers, but to say that it wouldn't much affect my future children was a blatant lie. Now, I had to make a decision: did I want motherhood badly enough to let go of what I thought was meant to be?<p>

Charlie got home about half an hour after I did, bringing dinner with him. After we ate, we lounged on the sofa with the radio on. Charlie had his head in my lap with the Daily Prophet cracked open. I had a book open on above his head, but instead of reading, I stared out the window, still debating back and forth in my mind. Lists of pros and cons fluttered through my mind whenever I closed my eyes. What did I want?

"Love, I can't-watch it-I can't see."

"Wha-oh, sorry." I pulled my book out from between Charlie's face and his paper and closed it before sending it off to its spot on the bookshelf with a lazy swish and flick of my wand. I continued to stare out the window, ignoring the radio that was droning on in the background as it played some old Celestina Warbeck song that reminded me of Bill and Fleur's wedding…

"Penny for your thoughts?" I looked down at Charlie, who was watching me with concern. For a change, _I_ gave _him_ a reassuring smile.

"It's nothing, really."

"It doesn't look like nothing."

I bit my bottom lip. It most certainly wasn't nothing, but was it really something I needed to tell Charlie right now? He sat up and pulled himself to the right of me, resting against the arm of the couch with his legs still draped across me.

"Let's talk."

I looked into his eyes. I'd always hoped my children's eyes would be blue. Charlie's eyes, though, were the loveliest shade of brown I'd ever seen.

"How set are you on this one year thing?"

Charlie simply stared at me, expressionless and silent for so long that I started to think he had no idea what I was talking about. Just as I was about to rephrase, he said, slowly, "I'm flexible. Why?"

I gulped. Part of me had hoped he would have defended the idea. It would have made it easier on me now if he had put his foot down. But since he hadn't, I continued.

"Well, I…I _do_ want kids, you know that." Again with the expressionless staring. "And I just…well, I was thinking…why wait? We might as well just get on with it. And with all your siblings having them, we won't be alone in it, and-"

He cut me off with a long, hard kiss. He pulled away and leaned his forehead against mine. "We don't have to do anything until-"

"But I want to," I insisted. If we didn't start now, I'd lose my nerve and change my mind. I had to get these words out while I could. I knew that if I kept putting it off, it would never happen. And if it never happened, I would look back one day with regret. No, this had to be done now, while I was certain it was what I wanted. "I want to have children, as soon as possible. I want a baby. With you." The last two words were especially difficult, but I managed to choke them out. Once I had, I felt wonderful. Why shouldn't I want to have my husband's children?

Charlie was grinning from ear to ear. "Really?" I nodded. "You're sure?" I nodded again, now mirroring his smile. "And you really-"

"I want this," I told him firmly. "More than anything, _I_ _want_ _this_. I want a family with you."

He stared silently again, this time looking possibly the happiest I'd ever seen him. "We should get going then, yeah?"

"Yeah," I chuckled. "Yeah, we should." He kissed me again. It was the most wonderful kiss, full of passion and what felt like all the happiness in the world. "I love you," Charlie whispered, standing and pulling me up by the hands.

"I love you, too," I told him back. And I meant it. I meant it, but part of me wished that I didn't. Part of me wished that I had never had to fall in love with Charlie. Part of me wished that I could have stayed in love the first time. All of me wished that I had never had that first love ripped away from me. Then, maybe any shred of happiness I felt wouldn't always be lined with this constant pain and aching.

Charlie kissed me again at the foot of the stairs. I returned it with as much passion as I could possibly muster; it was never easy, but always manageable. I pushed the pain as far back in my mind as I could, focusing my heart and soul on my love for Charlie. With every kiss, every caress, I hoped and prayed that Harry was right. Once the children started coming, my life would move along, hopefully leaving the hurt behind.

With that thought at the forefront of mind, we stumbled happily upstairs to start on our family.

* * *

><p><em>Steady hands just take the wheel,<em>

_And every glance is killing me._

_Take to make one last appeal_

_For the life I lead._

* * *

><p>AN: I just want to say really quick...I freakin' love George Weasley. As I was editing, I was like, "George, all the love in my body is being channeled to you right now." And he gets to give hugs because I think he needs them more than anyone. (Except for maybe Hermione in this fic.) That is all.


	4. Bruised

A/N: Oh, ye of little faith…alright, you're right; we need some Ron Weasley in our lives, yeah? I'm mucking up my outline so we can have him a bit earlier. Don't complain if I speed through stuff, though. I'm doing this for Ron! And you guys, because I know you all love him. Almost as much as I do.

Remember when I said, "Wait until chapter five!"? Yeah, well, it's now this and the next chapter.

This was gonna be a MEGA chapter, but I cut it in half so you wouldn't have to wait as long. We're speeding through some plot points. (Like I said above.) This chapter and the next will give you loads of background. Ron going buh-bye, Hermione and Charlie coming to be (I agree, it's weird, but it will make sense after the next chapter…well, it'll be more understandable), etc.

And all of your reviews have really encouraged me to get this thing rollin'. I told you they would! Especially the ones hatin' on Charlie. I feel like I have to explain sooner than I'd planned just to keep you all from freaking out. Poor Charlie.

I have to say it again…OH, YE OF LITTLE FAITH! Do you think someone whose FAVORITE CHARACTER OF ANYTHING EVER IS RON WEASLEY would keep you waiting FOREVER for him to show up in the story?

The whole story, after all, revolves around Ron Weasley for once. He deserves to be number one for a bit. But for that to happen…well…

Ya'll are gonna be pleasantly surprised soon…I'm hoping someone cries when they are…not really. It'll probably be me, though.

Let's get crackin'…

* * *

><p><em>We stood like statues at the gate.<em>

_Vacation's come and gone too late._

_There's so much sun where I'm from._

_I had to give it away, had to give you away..._

* * *

><p>"I don't understand why you can't just apparate back and forth."<p>

"They may need me at any second."

"For a whole month?"

Charlie sighed. "At the most, _yes_. It may not even take that long. It really depends on how good their developmental skills are, and then-"

"See?" I rounded. "You don't even know that it really will be a month. It might take longer!"

"If it takes longer than a month," said a very irate Charlie, "I will come back to see you once a week. But it shouldn't-"

I snorted. "Oh, once a week, how _generous_. I mean, I'm _only_ your _wife_, so I suppose _once_ _a_ _week_ after a _whole_ _month_-"

"Stop," Charlie yelled. "Just stop." I did. It was rare that our fights ever escalated to yelling. "I don't want to go," he said much more calmly once I had stopped. "Believe me, I'd much rather stay home with you. _But this is my job_. There's nothing I can do about it. This is what I get paid to do, and this is where they need me, so…" He stared awkwardly into his bowl of cereal.

After a very long pause, I said, "I just don't…I don't like having you taken away from me."

"Oh, Hermione," Charlie sighed and abandoned his breakfast to hug me. I willed myself not to cry. I would not cry. There was no reason to. He was coming back.

"Nothing's going to take me away from you," he promised. "Nothing, ever. I promise." I rested my cheek against him and sighed. "It won't be that long. Before you know it, I'll be back. And I'm going to do whatever I can to get back before the month is up."

I moved my head, replacing my cheek with my chin. "And if it's longer than a month, you'll-"

"Come back immediately," Charlie said firmly. "The least they can do is give me a day or two off after a month away from home."

I nodded sadly. "Alright, then. And you'll write? And you have your cell? In the event there's not so much magic-"

"We will communicate on a daily basis."

I huffed. "Alright. Alright, I guess I can live with it. Maybe I'll be able to figure out that goblin thing while you're gone, and we can both have some time off."

"We should go on holiday," Charlie suggested. "We haven't done that since our honeymoon."

"That would be nice," I admitted. "Alright. I can live with it if we'll be taking a holiday after. I won't be happy about it, but I can live with it."

Charlie smiled sadly. "That's all I ask." He kissed me briefly. "I have to get going-"

"I'll clean up after you." I kissed him for a bit longer. "Be careful."

"I will be. Love you."

He grabbed his suitcase and gave me a regretful smile. "Love you, too," I managed. With that, he was gone, and I was left alone with my thoughts. A furry, ginger feline rubbed against my leg. Well, my thoughts and Crookshanks.

"You won't leave me," I crooned. "Will you, Crookshanks?" He purred under my touch. "That's what I thought. At least one of my ginger boys will stay with me."

* * *

><p>I glanced up from Hogwarts, A History to make sure James was still there. He had been playing quietly since dinner, which was something I had never observed before. The only noises he had been making were the occasional giggles that followed him knocking over his block towers, which were usually twenty minute efforts.<p>

James saw me watching him and smiled brightly. "My-mee, ahh blerg do eega mu!"

I had no idea what he was trying to say, but I nodded encouragingly. "Yeah, it looks good, Jamsie." I must have been in the right direction because he smiled again and said something else before returning to his tower. I laughed to myself and glanced up at the clock. "We'd better start cleaning up, sweetie. It's nearly your bed time."

Though his vocabulary was far from expansive, James knew that term. He frowned and threw the blocks in his hands at the floor. "No, My-mee!"

I sighed, setting my book aside and grabbing the block container. "If you don't go to bed, you'll be in trouble with Mummy and Daddy. And then they won't let you come play anymore." He sat on the floor and crossed his arms. "James," I said firmly, "clean up."

He hesitated for a moment after I set the box in front of him, but his resolve didn't last long. Soon, his blocks were all sloppily piled much too high for the lid, but in the box all the same. I quickly rearranged them and he wobbled over to the couch behind me.

"Daddy!"

I glanced back shortly to find him looking at a table on the far wall that was covered in pictures. "Did you find a picture of your daddy?" I asked cheerfully while fitting the last of the blocks into a reasonable space among the others. I felt like I was playing tetris.

"Da-da." He wobbled back to me with the picture frame. I placed the lid back on the box. "Daddy, My-mee, Won."

I froze. "What?"

He showed me the picture. "Won."

He held up a picture from my days back at Hogwarts. Harry was trying to grab the camera from Ginny and Ron and I laughed in the courtyard behind him.

"Daddy, My-mee, Won." He pointed to each one of us as he said our names.

I recovered from my shock. "Do Mummy and Daddy tell you about Ron?"

James smiled when he saw that I knew what he was trying to say. "Won Won Won Won."

An image of Lavender Brown flashed across my mind. "Your uncle was a great hero," I told him. "Absolutely spectacular."

James handed me the picture and went back to the table, glancing from picture to picture, naming every person. Though he usually called Fred "Gi Gi", which was an understandable mistake in my opinion, he always knew Ron.

"James, we have to get you to bed," I said ten minutes later, picking him up. "Come on, buddy."

I carried him upstairs to my room where his pack n' play was set up in the corner and rocked him to sleep. I nearly drifted off before he did. As soon as I settled him into his makeshift crib, I collapsed on the bed, not bothering to change out of my yoga pants and tank top. Without so much as a yawn, I fell asleep.

* * *

><p><strong>The Hogwarts Express couldn't possibly take any longer to stop. It seemed to be drawing out its final stop, torturing me with its impossible speed. I glanced at Ginny, who looked even more anxious than I felt. Her eyes darted back and forth through the window, taking in Platform 9 34 from this view for the last time. Somehow, I didn't think she was taking it in for nostalgic purposes. Actually, I didn't think she was taking it in at all. She was waiting for the same thing I was, and if that was any indication...I pitied anyone who had to see either of us like this. I didn't think it was possible for a person to be quite this eager; I especially never thought it was possible for it to show this much.**

**The train had barely halted when Ginny threw our compartment door open and raced off the train, luggage forgotten. Shaking my head, I levitated our trunks out onto the platform, immediately spotting my parents.**

**"You've done it! You've finally graduated!" Mum squealed as she hugged me. "I can't believe it, my daughter out in the real world."**

**"She just stepped off the train, Bonnie," Dad laughed. "I hardly think this qualifies as 'the real world'." He winked at me and I forced myself to smile at them in return, to focus only on them. Ginny had long since disappeared.**

**"So how was term, dear?" Mum asked as Dad grabbed my trunk by the handle and started to drag it towards the other end of the platform. Leave it to Ginny and me to get stuck in the compartment furthest from the gateway.**

**"Oh, it was...well, it was school," I said distractedly. My eyes couldn't help darting through the crowd of students rambling about their exams and holiday plans to parents, hugging each other goodbye, stuffing their Hogwarts robes back into their trunk-**

**"And exams?" Dad asked. "You sat the last of them, eh? How'd that-" But he stopped when someone nearby screamed in excitement and we all turned to look.**

**Ginny was squeezing the air out of Harry from the looks of it. Not that he minded, of course, because he was grinning like mad over her shoulder and returning the affection. Our eyes met briefly and he smiled at me brightly. So if he was there, then nearby had to be-**

**"I'll be back," I muttered quickly and took off, despite my parents knowing looks, pushing through the crowd. It was only a matter of seconds before I saw him, doing the same to get to me. "Oh, move," I hissed at a gaggle of third years saying tearful goodbyes. I finally escaped and ran right into his arms.**

**His lips felt so good on mine. I threw my arms around his neck, hugging so tightly that I couldn't have been pried away by an army of centaurs. I felt my feet lift off the ground and giggled. I felt him smiling before I deepened the kiss and slipped my tongue between his lips, all the while sliding my fingers into his hair-**

**"OI! There are kids here!"**

**I pulled back reluctantly, glaring at Harry, who was laughing with arm around Ginny's shoulders. She was shaking her head and smirking.**

**"Harry, this whole 'break my best friends apart at crucial moments' habit of yours is really starting to piss me off," Ron said as he set me back on the ground.**

**"No, he's right," I said, seeing that a few parents were scowling in our direction. "I don't want to cause a scene." I looked up into Ron's deep, bright, blue eyes. I was suddenly very glad that he had kept his arms wrapped around my waist, and also very regretful about my last statement. Oh, if he only knew the affect he had on me...**

**I slid my arms up his body, leaving one on his chest and wrapping the other around his neck again, not sure why I had removed them in the first place, and played with the tips of his hair. "I missed you," I cooed. "A lot. More than a lot."**

**Ron smiled. "The great Hermione Granger, brightest witch of her age, can't even think of a word to describe how much she missed me. Must have been an awful lot then, mustn't it?"**

**I bit my bottom lip to keep from smiling any broader; if I did so, my face would probably break. Here I was, recently graduated from school, wrapped in the arms of the love of my life, for the first time free of the troubles and worries of war. It was taking every bit of willpower I had and then some to keep from pulling his head back down to mine, but I knew once I did, even Harry wouldn't be able to break us apart.**

**"We can catch up later," I whispered mischievously. Ron's eyes widened a bit and he raised his eyebrows.**

**"Later? I don't know if I can make it that long without kissing my beautiful girlfriend-"**

**"Well, you're going to have to," Harry cut in, suppressing giggles with great difficulty. "Both of your parents are coming this way."**

**"And that's funny?"**

**"What's funny is that you two are getting all lovey dovey," Ginny chuckled. "Never thought I'd see the day."**

**"Oh, I knew we'd see the day," Harry corrected her. "I just thought we'd have a bit longer of a wait than this. But you can't expect good timing or location from these two," he added as if we weren't there. "First, in the middle of a war. Now, in front of all of Hogwarts and everyone's parents." He shook his head and tsked at us.**

**I wanted so badly to retort, and Ron looked as though he was going to, when our parents showed up on either side of us. I smiled to myself as they greeted each other warmly. It was as though they'd all known each other for years.**

**"Hermione, dear, so good to see you," Mrs. Weasley exclaimed as she wrapped me in a hug that rivaled those of Hagrid's. Ginny said you absolutely excelled at your N.E.W.T.s! Of course, we expected nothing less from you," she said lovingly, patting me on the arm. She looked at Ron. "And you at least sat them!"**

**Ron shrugged. "Mum, why bother with something if it's not necessary? We've been over this." Mrs. Weasley shook her head and moved to greet Ginny.**

**"Yes, yes, we have been over it," she said irately. "You're impossible, Ronald."**

**"Isn't he though?" I said dryly. He narrowed his eyes at me.**

**"Don't go siding with her," Ron hissed under his breath. "I just got her over the fact that Harry and I didn't go back a few weeks ago. And here you are, backtracking my progress."**

**I shrugged with a smile. "Well, you are impossible; she's right about that..."**

**I passed through the gateway after my parents, hand in hand with Ron, and waited for Harry and the three Weasleys to follow.**

**"So shall we plan for dinner tomorrow night?" Mum asked suddenly.**

**"But I thought we were going out tonight," I said, disappointed.**

**Mum shook her head. "Oh no, you two need some time together," she said knowingly. "I'm not going to risk my karma by standing in the way of true love. No, you two go and, er, catch up. Ron, you ought to come along tomorrow night, too."**

**"Well, if you're sure," I muttered, both surprised and slightly mortified that she had made a change to our plans simply so that Ron and I could have time alone together. "What do think?" I asked him.**

**"Sounds like a plan to me," Ron grinned. "Thanks, Mrs. Granger."**

**"It's nothing, really," Mum told him as she and Dad kissed me on the cheek in turns. "We've been dying to get you over for ages, really, but of course, with one thing after another...well, we'll get it all sorted out tomorrow. We'll see you then, darling!"**

**She and Dad took off with my trunk, and I turned to Ron. "Well, now what?"**

**"Well..." Ron pondered for a moment. "We could always go back to the Burrow. Or there's my flat-"**

**"Your flat?" I asked with wide eyes. "You have a flat now?"**

**"Just got it last week," Ron said proudly. I was surprised he'd been able to keep it from me that long when he was obviously bursting with pride. "It's not much, but there's not half a dozen gingers bouncing from room to room at every minute of the day."**

**"Why didn't you tell me before?" I asked, extremely proud. "That's amazing. Congratulations," I planted a kiss on his cheek. "I have to see it. Let's go!"**

**"Ah, a bit eager, are we? Mum," he called to Mrs. Weasley. "We'll probably be round sometime tonight."**

**Mrs. Weasley frowned slightly. I wondered how she was handling it, Ron no longer being in the house. It must have been difficult to live at the Burrow these days, I realized, especially for her. Bill, Charlie, and Percy had been gone for ages, of course. But now that George was living in Diagon Alley, and Ron was on his own, and Fred was...well, it must have been quite lonely. I had a hard time imagining the Burrow without some sort of excitement going on at all hours of the day, every day of the week.**

**"Alright, but we're eating at six, and we won't wait for you," Mrs. Weasley said strictly. She gave us each a hug. "Be careful, you two."**

**I could have sworn she winked at me as she said this.**

**"Oh, that's just lovely," I whined when we appeared outside an apartment complex five minutes later. "Our mothers are assuming we're running off to have sex."**

**"Well, aren't we?" Ron said bluntly as he grabbed my hand and led me inside.**

**"Well, yes, but it's almost as if they were encouraging it."**

**Ron laughed. "I guess when you've taken as long as we have..." He stopped outside the third door on the left and pulled out a key.**

**"Ron," I squealed. "You have a key!"**

**"Yeah," he said slowly. "They unlock things. You know, like doors."**

**I rolled my eyes and slapped his arm. "I know that. I just meant, well, it's your key. To your flat."**

**Ron smiled in spite of himself. "Yeah, it's pretty wicked, isn't it?" He flung the door open and let me in ahead of him.**

**I was standing in a little yellow sitting room with a cream colored sofa and matching armchair placed around a little wooden coffee table. To the left, there was a dining table and chairs. A kitchen was right behind, opposite the wall of what I was sure was the bedroom.**

**"It's...it's beautiful," I said in awe. "Your own flat."**

**"My own flat," Ron repeated with a smile. "With my own girlfriend." He wrapped his arms around me as he had earlier and pulled me as close as he possibly could. "All by ourselves."**

**"Whatever shall we do for entertainment?" I asked innocently. "Perhaps a game of wizard's chess?"**

**"Maybe we should play exploding snap."**

**"There's always tic-tac-toe."**

**"A few rounds of hangman."**

**"I could teach you some Muggle card tricks."**

**"We could always read."**

**"Do you even own any books?" I laughed.**

**"Nah, not unless you gave them to me," Ron snickered. "You know, I've just come up with a brilliant idea."**

**"Please tell me it involves your bed."**

**"I was thinking more along the lines of the couch, but-"**

**"I'll take the floor at this point."**

**"You want a nap that badly?"**

**"Oh, shut up," I told him and pulled his lips to mine. He pushed me against the wall, kissing me fiercely as he did so. My fingers found the buckle of his belt and set to work as his hands roamed my body. He broke the kiss and moved down to my neck, working his hands under my blouse as he did so, making me moan loudly.**

**"You know," he said as his fingers fiddled with the hooks on my bra. "I haven't even given you the grand tour. Where are my manners?"**

**"Who needs manners?" I asked desperately. "I don't need a tour, just-"**

**"No, you do," Ron said quite seriously. "Come on, you haven't even seen the bedroom."**

**I grinned madly. "Make it quick."**

**But he didn't. We stopped several times on the way, touring the kitchen counter, the wall outside the bathroom, the doorway of his bedroom...**

**An hour later, I traced circles on his chest with my fingertips as he stared at me in awe.**

**"I love you, Hermione."**

**I looked up into his eyes. "Mm. I love it when you say my name."**

**"Why is that?"**

**"I don't know." I shrugged. "It just...it sounds right. You say it so beautifully."**

**"Hermione," he repeated with a rather large grin on his face. "Hermione, Hermione, Hermione, Her-"**

**I cut him off with a slow, sweet kiss. He moaned and pulled me onto his lap so that I was straddling him. The feel of his unclothed body under mine sent jolts of exhilaration through me.**

**"I love you, Ron," I whispered into his mouth. He smiled and chuckled.**

**"I see what you mean," he said softly, "about the name thing." He rested his right hand on my lower back and played with my hair with the other. "It sounds...brilliant."**

**We kissed once more and I leaned against his chest. "Can we just stay like this forever?"**

**"Not if you want to eat dinner, we can't," Ron exclaimed before kissing the top of my head. "But we can always do it again later."**

**He tightened his arms around me and I did the same to him. I was going to fall asleep any moment.**

**"Hermione?" Ron mumbled sleepily. "What took us so long?"**

**"Dunno," I yawned back. "We're together now, though..."**

**"But it's a shame. Think of all the time we wasted."**

**"I don't want to think about the time we wasted," I scolded. "I want to think about all the time we have ahead of us." I looked up into his beautiful eyes one more time. Just one last time before I drifted off. "We are never going to waste time again. We have forever to be together, and that's exactly what we're going to do. Be together."**

**Ron smiled and closed his eyes. "I reckon that's the best idea you've ever had."**

**"Me, too," I yawned, lying against his chest drowsily. "Me, too."**

* * *

><p><strong>"This job is killing me."<strong>

**I slammed a large pile of manila folders onto Ron's dining room table and he looked up, startled.**

**"There's a reason for office hours, Hermione," he joked. "So you can get your work done there instead of having to bring it home."**

**"Oh, ha ha," I spat. "Look at this! I have to have it all done by Friday. That only gives me two more days! I'll never get it all done in time." I threw myself into the chair next to his and buried my head in my arms on the table. "Is Harry still coming for dinner?"**

**"As far as I know," Ron said absentmindedly, skimming over his own reports.**

**"What are you in the mood for?"**

**"Whatever."**

**"I was thinking pizza. We could have that delivered."**

**"That's nice."**

**I raised my eyebrows. "Are you alright?"**

**"Hm?" Ron finally looked up from his work. He looked troublesome. "Oh, pizza's fine with me. Sounds good, actually."**

**"Ron, are you okay?" I asked again.**

**"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" The look on his face disappeared and was replaced by one of complete cheerfulness. Something told me there was more to it.**

**"You seem a bit distracted."**

**He waved an arm over the papers before him. "Just these reports. I'll have them done in a short while, by the time Harry gets here."**

**I had a feeling he wasn't telling the whole truth, but I let it slide. "Why don't you take a break?"**

**"Nah," Ron said hastily, picking up his papers again. "Might as well get it done with."**

**I sighed heavily. I'd never known Ron to pass up on taking a break from work. Something was definitely up.**

**"I'll go ahead and call the order in," I said, getting up to use his kitchen phone. "Is pepperoni alright with you?" No answer. "Ron? Pepperoni?"**

**"Whatever you want," his voice called lightly from the next room. I sighed, determined to put the uneasiness from my mind, and called up the pizza diner.**

* * *

><p><strong>"Ron...Ron, that feels nice...but I have to get this done..."<strong>

**Harry had been gone for about half an hour, leaving us with the leftover pizza (not that there was much left). All I had learned from his company was that something was definitely bugging Ron, something related to his case. I had tried my hardest to get it out of him. Of course, he had simply denied it, but, being the horrible liar he is, I knew there was something up.**

**"If you think something's bothering him," Harry had suggested, "then just ask him about it."**

**"Do you think we would be having this conversation if I hadn't already asked him? He won't tell me anything. He just insists that he's fine."**

**"Maybe he is."**

**"Why are you covering for him?" I asked, stung by Harry's disloyalty. Or, rather, loyalty to the wrong person.**

**"Who says there's anything to cover?" Harry started to add to this, but Ron came back, driving the conversation away.**

**"Why don't you take your own advice," Ron now mumbled against my neck between kisses, "and take a break. A nice." His lips truly felt amazing against my skin. "Well deserved." His tongue felt even better. "Break."**

**I moaned as he sucked right above my collar bone. "I have to finish. If I don't get this done by-oh, forget it." I threw my work on the coffee table and turned to meet his already parted lips for a deep, sensual kiss. I turned my body so that we were chest to chest and moved my thighs on either side of his, caressing his chest with my hands. He moved to kiss my chin...my jaw...my neck...I gripped his shirt in my hands as he continued to move south, pulling my shirt off with one smooth motion and leaning me back onto the sofa.**

**Just as he reached the top of my breasts he stopped. "No, keep going," I whined. "Please."**

**"I want to talk to you about something first," he said, looking up at my face.**

**"Tease," I accused. "Alright, what is it?"**

**"Well, I was just thinking the other night, when I was sitting here, all by my lonesome." He moved to lie on top of me, elbows on either side of my head to prop himself up so he could look at me while he spoke. "It gets pretty lonely around here."**

**"What are you talking about?" I asked, taken aback. "I'm here nearly every day."**

**"Yes, _exactly_." Ron grinned. I missed the point somewhere along the way. "You're here every _day_. But then _night_ comes along, and you head back to your parents' place, and I'm all alone. It's no fun."**

**And there it was. "So, you're saying you don't like having this flat at to yourself?"**

**"That's _precisely_ what I'm saying."**

**"Sounds like a personal problem to me."**

**"A personal problem to which you could be the solution."**

**"Ronald Weasley," I mock-chastised. "Are you asking me to move in with you?"**

**He kissed the tip of my nose. "I am. What do you say?"**

**He looked into my eyes with his hypnotizing blue ones. I would do anything if it meant he would look at me like that. Absolutely anything.**

**"Well, how soon can I bring my things?"**

**"Really?"**

**"Really."**

**"I didn't think it'd be that easy," Ron muttered. He looked ecstatic. "How about now?"**

**"How about tomorrow," I suggested, grabbing his collar and pulling him closer, "so that now, we can finish what we started on my 'well deserved break.'"**

* * *

><p><strong>"'Mione."<strong>

**"Hmph."**

**"Hermione, I've got to go."**

**"Mmmm."**

**"Wake up; I want to see you before I leave."**

**My eyelids lifted as slowly as humanly possible.**

**"Whyyyyy," I whined.**

**"Because you're my girlfriend, and beautiful, and amazing, and I-"**

**"No," I interrupted. "Why do you have to go?"**

**Ron sighed.**

**"You know this is part of it. Doing missions and field work."**

**I groaned. "But it's so dangerous."**

**Ron chuckled a bit nervously. "The job's dangerous, you know that."**

**I slid my arms around his neck, not moving from our comfortable bed. "Don't go. Call in sick."**

**Ron shook his head. "And leave Neville and Harry? I can't. This is a big one."**

**That didn't calm my nerves any. Suddenly, Ron kissed me with more passion than ever before. It was slow and yet fiery. Something about it made me uneasy. Something about it reminded me of our first kiss, the one we'd had in the middle of a battle...**

**He broke away slowly and held my head in his hands. His eyes flickered all around my face, as though memorizing every bit of it. His eyes looked wet and, to me, he seemed a bit broken.**

**"Ron, what-"**

**We kissed again, the urgency returning. There was something about this kiss; I couldn't quite place it. I couldn't figure out what he was telling me with it. All I knew was he loved me more than anything in the world, and I loved him equally so, if not more. I did all I could to show him that I felt the same way. When we broke this kiss, my eyes were the ones that were wet.**

**"Stay," I whispered hoarsely.**

**Ron shook his head.**

**"Bye, love." I scolded myself inwardly as a tear strolled down my cheek. Ron wiped it away.**

**"I love you more than you know, Ron," I told him tearfully. "Please be careful." I hated the look on his face.**

****"I love you, Hermione."****

**He kissed my forehead and left quickly before either of us could get him to change his mind. I heard the door lock behind him and a small pop in the hall that meant he had apparated away. A tear slid down my cheek and I pulled the comforter around me, willing myself back to sleep so I wouldn't have to live with all the worry.**

* * *

><p><strong>The porcelain of the sink was making my elbows sore, but I could barely feel it. I could barely feel anything. The water I had thrown on my face was sliding downward and I couldn't even tell. I didn't' know how long I'd been standing there taking one deep, shaky breath after the other. I just knew that it didn't matter. It didn't matter how long I stood there, or how shaky my breaths were, or if they porcelain hurt my arms, because nothing really mattered anymore.<strong>

**I finally braved a look into the mirror. My eyes were the most swollen and bloodshot they had been during the past few days. My hair was hanging bushily and without form around my face. It was far too long and unmanageable. _Perhaps I'll cut it_, I thought. _Just get rid of it._**

**With one last heavy sigh, I forced myself to stop using the sink for support and dragged my unwilling body through the door.**

**I had never seen The Burrow so subdued since Fred's funeral. I even doubted that it had been so quiet then. It had been after a war. Funerals were expected back then.**

**I didn't want to be alone. I went out to the living room where several other mourners sat. Harry, with tears streaming down his own face, was rocking a sobbing Ginny in his arms, where she had assumed a fetal position. Neville sat on Harry's right, looking grim and rubbing her arm. Percy was sitting in a rather large armchair with tears rolling down his face. Some brunette girl sat next to him, patting his hand. I didn't really care who she was. I just wanted to know why she had business being there. I wanted to know why _I_ had business being there.**

**George was in the opposite armchair, staring blankly into the crackling fireplace. He had no grief left; he simply looked angry. Angelina Johnson brushed past me as I watched him. She kneeled in front of him and said something very quietly. George barely glanced at her in acknowledgement, but I saw him grip her hand very tightly when she offered it to him for support.**

**I hesitated and started to inch toward him when a strangled sort of sound caught me off guard. I turned my eyes back to the sofa and saw that Harry had finally broken. Ginny pulled out of his embrace and pulled him into her own. His entire body shook with sobs while she rested her head cheek on his head, still crying. He started mumbling something; probably the same thing he'd been saying for days: "It's all my fault." The strangled sounds continued. Neville was saying something to him. Probably the same thing he'd been saying to him for days: "It's not your fault."**

**Neville must have sensed me starting because he turned abruptly and met my eyes.**

**I didn't want to be around other people. I turned and exited to the kitchen where Bill and Fleur sat with cups of tea. Fleur started to ask me if I wanted any, even made it halfway out of her seat, before I answered her by heading up the stairs wordlessly. I winced when I passed Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's room. I could hear Mrs. Weasley's loud sobs through the walls for the next two floors. It was the only noise I heard.**

**I kept going, keeping my destination in mind. Every step hurt more than the last. Each one of them left me with more anticipation than before. I could barely breathe anymore. It wasn't so bad. I wasn't sure I really wanted to be breathing anyway.**

**I finally came to the last door at the top of the stairs. I was frozen. Was I so sure I wanted to be here at all? What would I see? What would I _feel_? Would I even be _able_ to feel? I had stopped feeling much of anything four days before. Feeling was such a foreign concept to me now. Holding my breath, I opened the door.**

**The place hadn't changed much since I had first seen it four years prior. The parts of wall that showed between posters of players from The Chudley Cannons were bright orange, matching the sheets on the bed, which was pushed up under the window, across from where I was standing. Old scraps of parchment were scattered here and there. A pile of textbooks sat in one corner. Pigwidgeon's old cage sat on a desk in the corner opposite.**

**I wanted to be here.**

**I spotted an old black t-shirt on the floor by the bed. Gingerly, I slid towards the bed and kneeled down to pick it up. I turned it in my hands until I could see the front. Of course, the Cannons' logo. I smiled bitterly to myself and pulled off the god awful, itchy black rag of a dress I had donned that day and pulled on the shirt and a pair of boxers from a long forgotten pile of clean laundry. He must have not bothered to wash them before leaving for his flat. The shirt smelled fantastic. Like amortentia. I looked up at the twisted sheets n front of me. In a moment, I was nestled comfortably under them, clutching them to me like a life raft. I pulled a handful up around my face. The sheets smelled just like the shirt. I shut my eyes.**

**I wanted to be with him, but this was as close as I was going to get.**

* * *

><p><em>Hours pass, and she still counts the minutes <em>

_That I am not there. I swear I didn't mean_

_For it to feel like this,_

_Like every inch of me is bruised, bruised._

* * *

><p>AN: No worries. This won't be the only chapter with Ron. Like I said, this fic revolves around Won-Won. All will be well.

BTW this song was difficult to pick out so...forgive me for it not fitting perfectly...but it'll probably be used in the companion chapter as well to tie it together more...


	5. Near To You

A/N: I'd like to say I took so long to write this because I was making it perfect, but I wrote over half of it today…I don't feel like it's all it could have been, but if I'd gotten much deeper into it, it would have been a novel all by itself. So, if you have any unanswered q's about this time period in Hermione's life, feel free to PM me or put it in the review. I'll either PM you or address it in the next author's note. I just couldn't get motivated with this chapter. Ugh.

BUT THE NEXT ONE IS GONNA BE FREAKIN' SICK!

You won't have to wait as long for that one.

Enjoy…well, as much as you can…

* * *

><p><em>Such pain as this<em>

_Shouldn't have to be experienced._

_I'm still reeling from the loss,_

_Still a little bit delirious._

* * *

><p><strong>"Hermione. Hey, Hermione, wake up."<strong>

**It took me a few seconds to remember where I was and why Charlie Weasley might be looking at me with a puzzled expression on his face. "Oh," I said. "Oh. It's you."**

**Charlie raised an eyebrow at me but didn't ask what I was doing in his brother's old bedroom. "Why don't you come down stairs? I'm sure Harry would love to see you right about now."**

**I sat up and frowned. On the contrary, I very much doubted that Harry would like to see me at all. It was bad enough that he was taking this all out on himself. The last time we had been in the same room long enough to say a word to each other was that night, and all he had been able to say to me then was that it was his entire fault. Of course, I didn't blame Harry in the slightest, but I'm sure I was the last person he could see who could improve how he was feeling at the moment.**

**"Harry doesn't want to see me," I told Charlie slowly.**

**"You sure it's not the other way around?"**

**I glared at him. "Yes, I'm sure. I don't-I don't blame Harry. Harry's the only one who blames Harry."**

**"Well, have you told him that?"**

**I was staring to get frustrated. "Of course I did. I-I told him…well it must have…" Now that I thought about it, I couldn't remember saying it. Sure, I had thought it plenty of thoughts. I knew it wasn't Harry's fault just like I knew my last name was Granger. But I had never told him.**

**Charlie crossed his arms and nodded back at the door. "I think you should go talk to him. He needs his best friend."**

**He was absolutely right; I needed to go to Harry, if not for Harry's sake, then for my own sanity. I missed him, and I needed him more than I needed anybody else right now. But I wasn't going to give in so easily to the Weasley standing before me.**

**"How do _you_ know," I asked, shooting up out of the bed, "what _Harry_ needs, exactly? Isn't that your _sister's_ job? It's not _yours_. You _don't_ know _Harry_, and you most _certainly_ don't know _me_, so don't you _dare_ try and-_oh_." I breathed in sharply as I realized that I was standing there in nothing but a t-shirt and my knickers. "I'll just-I'll just change and be right down," I mumbled, mortified.**

**"Er…" Charlie averted his eyes quickly, his ears turning red. "I'll, er, leave you to it, then," he said and left quickly.**

**I sighed and unwillingly pulled off the old Cannons shirt, once again subjecting my body to the itchy black dress. I folded up the shirt and carried it downstairs with me, where Bill, who was comforting Ginny in the kitchen, directed me outside in my search of my best friend.**

**I found him in the garden, standing next to a little bench while he stared out at nothing. It looked as though he'd stopped halfway to wherever he was going, just stopped for lack of wanting to go on.**

**"Harry," I called out. He jumped slightly and turned about and a guilty look flooded his face as soon as he saw me. "Don't look at me like that."**

**He watched quietly as I strode up the path to him and stopped as close to him as I could, arms folded across my chest in a defensive manner. He avoided my eyes, watching everything around us for awhile. He finally gave in and chanced a look at me.**

**"It's not your fault," I told him softly.**

**Harry sneered. "I was there. I could have stopped-"**

**"No," I said quickly. "No, you couldn't have. If you'd tried, we might have been here for you today, too."**

**Harry was quiet for a moment. "I've died before. I could do it again."**

**"You wouldn't have come back this time," I reminded him gently. "And then I might have lost you both. Harry, please. Please don't blame yourself. You're the only one who does. It isn't right. It doesn't make things any easier."**

**He sunk down on the bench next to us. "It's not fair," he said. "Neville and I made it out just fine. We got the guy we were going after. It's not fair that he didn't make it out, too."**

**"I know," I whispered. "Believe me, I know." I kneeled down before him and wiped a lone tear from his face as I grabbed his hand. "It's not your fault that Ron died. You have to know that."**

**Harry looked up at me sadly. "I guess. Yeah, I guess you're right. I just…I miss my best friend, you know?"**

**"Yeah," I agreed and gave his hand a little squeeze. "Yeah, I know. I do, too."**

**"Can I ask you something, Hermione?"**

**"Sure."**

**"You're not pregnant, are you?"**

**I nearly went into shock. That was the last thing I had expected him to ask. No, it wasn't even on the list of questions I would ever have expected him to ask. What would he think that for? Did he want me to be? No, I realized when I looked into his eyes. No, he was afraid. He was afraid of the possibility. I wasn't quite sure why.**

**"I-I don't think so," I stammered. Harry raised his eyebrows and I felt myself blushing. "Ron was always really good about protection and-"**

**"Oh, good," Harry exclaimed. "That's good, really great of him."**

**I tilted my head a bit to the side in confusion. "Hang on, why are you so interested in those kinds of details?"**

**"I think it's a legitimate question." Harry said hotly. "You _were_ his girlfriend, after all."**

**It stung to here him say that, and he knew it. "Hermione, I didn't…I'm sorry. I wouldn't ask you this if it wasn't important."**

**He was right, though. I _used_ to be Ron's girlfriend. I wasn't anymore. "Well…If I was, it would be too soon to tell. But I highly, highly doubt that I am."**

**We sat side by side in silence for a few minutes during which I leaned on Harry's shoulder. I didn't realize I had been crying until he wiped a few stray tears from my cheeks.**

**"It's not your fault, Harry," I choked. "I promise you it's not, and I don't blame you. I never could even if I wanted to."**

**"I know," he told me. "I know. We'll get through this. It's what he'd want, isn't it?" He said it so dryly; it was as though he resented what we both knew Ron's wishes would be.**

**I nodded and stood up. "Yeah, I guess. Although what I _thought_ he wanted was to be here with us."**

**"It's not like he chose this, Hermione."**

**"_I told him to stay."_**

**"He didn't choose to die."**

**It was my turn to say it. "I know." Feeling exhausted and defeated, I began to trudge back to the Burrow.**

**"Hey, Hermione," Harry called. "Keep me posted, okay?"**

**"Uh…" And then I remembered what we had been talking about. "Oh, yeah. Sure."**

**I went back to our flat that night for the last time that night. I stood in front of the door for about two whole minutes, just looking, before I summoned a pile of cardboard boxes and started packing everything up. I was up all night clearing away any evidence of the people who had lived there for the past few months. I couldn't help but think of everything Harry had said as I packed.**

**What if I had been pregnant? What would I have done then? I'd have been stuck raising a child alone, left to provide for the both of us with my mediocre job at the Ministry. It would have been the least ideal situation I could have encountered. But the idea wrapped itself around my brain.**

**I saw her whenever I closed my eyes. Dark red curls; bright blue eyes; pale, freckled skin; a charming smile (the work of her grandparents, no doubt). She would laugh like me at the same things Ron once laughed at. She would love Quidditch but refuse to play because it would cut into her homework time. She would be a perfect blend of Ron and me: our daughter.**

**I thought I understood what Harry was getting at. He was hoping for some sort of shred of evidence of Ron's existence, something that would tie us to him for the rest of our lives. Why else would he seem so eager about the idea?**

**Both my hopes and theory were dashed nearly a week later. I cried for hours, angry at Harry for both planting the idea in my head and being relieved when I told him it wasn't so. He told me it was better this way.**

**I couldn't believe that Harry, of all people, was telling me how much better off I was without the family I was supposed to have.**

* * *

><p><strong>"Granger, I need you to take this over."<strong>

**I winced when my boss, Edgar Doyle, tossed another thick file onto my desk. "But I thought Pewter was taking on the dragon breeding regulations?"**

**"He's out with some sort of flu," Edgar said with a wave of his hand. "And just as well, I doubt he's competent enough for this. No, I'd much rather have you on it. You've got a meeting at one in the conference room down the hall."**

**I sighed and flipped briefly through the file before I rubbed my eyes as a yawn escaped me. I had been up again with a nightmare. It had been thirteen months since I had last seen Ron. Thirteen months and ten days. It had been thirteen months and eight nights of bad dreams, the previous night being no exception. I put aside my exhaustion long enough to prepare for the meeting, even working through lunch. Since I barely had anything on my caseload, I couldn't complain about being given this. At five to one I, reluctantly, made my way to the conference room down the hall. As prepared as I was to rewrite dragon regulations, I was much more unprepared to see the familiar face that was waiting for me.**

**"Charlie," I gasped in surprise. Charlie Weasley was sitting at the end of the table with his own notes and looked up when I entered. From the look of it, he was just as surprised as I was.**

**"Hermione," he said. "Long time, no see. I thought Pewter-"**

**"He's off on some emergency," I explained quickly. "I just got this an hour or so ago. I thought you were still in Romania." I took a seat halfway down the table. I wasn't sure if I was happy to see him or not. On the one hand, it had been a very long time since I had seen a Weasley other than Ginny face to face. It was something familiar and comforting to me, to be in the presence of any Weasley. On the other hand, the unhappy thoughts in my head were spinning faster than ever, and he made them impossible to suppress.**

**"I moved back a few months ago," Charlie informed me. "It was hard, being that far from the family, especially after Victoire was born. You heard about that, right?"**

**"Oh, yes, Ginny shows me pictures all the time. She's beautiful, definitely worth moving back for."**

**There was a slight pause during which I glanced around the room, collecting myself. "Well…we should probably get started," Charlie suggested.**

**"Oh," I said suddenly. "Yes, of course. These laws are quite out dated, aren't they?"**

**Charlie smiled. "I'm glad you agree."**

* * *

><p><strong>We weren't able to get all of our revising done that afternoon. Once again, I wasn't sure how I felt about this. It would be good to see Charlie again…but it would be terrible, too. We collaborated several times over the next few weeks, even stopping by the Leaky Cauldron one night to get work done.<strong>

**I decided quickly that I liked being around Charlie. Not only did we get a lot of work done, but we had a lot of fun doing it. My mother decided this quickly as well. While we were having dinner one night, she commented on all of the work we had been doing.**

**"It's been, what, three weeks that you've been revising this?" she asked innocently.**

**"Nearly four, actually," I said, surprising myself. Had it been that long? "We've made a lot of progress, though. It won't be much longer until we've got the whole thing finished."**

**"And then what sort of excuses will you two be using?"**

**I looked at her suspiciously. "Excuses? What are you-" I caught her sly eye. "Oh, Mum, no. No, it's nothing like that!" I exclaimed quickly. "We're just doing our jobs."**

**"Mhmm," Mum hummed, unconvinced from the sound of it. "Whatever you say, Her-"**

**"He's Ron's brother," I told her coldly. "Charlie is his brother, and nothing is going on. Nothing is going to happen."**

**She sighed. "Why does it make a difference whose brother he is?" she asked. "What if he was Harry's brother? Would it be different then?"**

**"No," I told her. "No, it wouldn't."**

**"So you don't enjoy his company?"**

**"I didn't say-"**

**"There's nothing wrong with that, Hermione. It's okay to enjoy another man's company. It's been over a-"**

**I nearly knocked over my chair, which screeched against the floor as I backed it away from the table and stood quickly. "I have to go," I said loudly, doing everything to control my anger. I didn't want to be angry at my mum. "I have work tomorrow." I apparated back to my apartment quickly and threw myself next to Crookshanks on the sofa, full of fury.**

**So what if I enjoyed Charlie's company? It didn't mean anything. I enjoyed Harry's company, and Ginny's, and George's whenever I saw him. Charlie and I got on well, so it was only natural that I enjoyed being around him. After all, we agreed on the majority of the revisions we were making, which made things a lot easier. He genuinely listened whenever I got off on a rant about my side projects with S.P.E.W. Sometimes he even gave his opinion and suggestions. He always knew how to clear the stress with a joke; he knew when to be serious, too. He raised one eyebrow whenever I said something he thought was a bit outrageous, or didn't agree. He had this adorable half smile that always sported a dimple-**

**I stopped mid-thought, feeling the smile on my face widening, and it immediately disappeared. Could Mum be right? Could I be-? No. No, it wasn't possible. There was no way I could feel anything but friendship towards Charlie. He was Ron's brother, for Merlin's sake! And yet…**

**It had been ages since I'd admired anything about another man. It had been ages, and yet I could sit here and think of about a thousand qualities Charlie had that I admired. In some cases, "admired" was an understatement.**

**I felt horrible.**

**Anytime someone mentioned moving on, I brushed it aside. The idea of being with anyone else made me sick to my stomach. I couldn't imagine falling in love again. It wasn't possible for me. And yet, here I was, doing it one more time…**

**But I was falling for my dead boyfriend's brother, of all people.**

**I cried all night with only Crookshanks by my side.**

* * *

><p><strong>I realized that my mother was right; I was using this work as an excuse to see more of Charlie. My boss even got on my back about it. According to Edgar, it should have been done and over with weeks ago. I knew I should just put a stop to it, seeing as we couldn't go much further, but every time I considered it, I chickened out.<strong>

**To be fair, Charlie didn't seem to be in a hurry to wrap it up, either.**

**"You should really stop by the Burrow sometime," Charlie told me one evening as we packed our things away in the conference room. "I told Mum I've been working with you and she insisted I invite you to Sunday brunch. She's dying to see you."**

**I winced. Mrs. Weasley had sent me several letters in the first few months, usually inviting me over for dinner. They became fewer and far between as time had dragged on and my excuses had become more elaborate. It had been over a month since I had heard from her, and I had been certain that she'd given up. Apparently, this was not the case.**

**"As much as I would love to-"**

**"Here we go."**

**I looked up sharply. "Excuse me?"**

**Charlie shook his head. "No, continue, please. I'm dying to know what it's going to be this time."**

**"What are you-"**

**"Maybe Crookshanks has an appointment?" Charlie said. "Or your mum really wants to spend time with you. Or-"**

**"Actually, I have a lot of work to catch up on," I snapped. "Seeing as we've been wasting so much time on this."**

**"Wasting time?" Charlie snorted. "We've gotten a lot done. Don't you see the progress we've made? Anyway, you'll have plenty of time to catch up soon enough. I bet we can have this finished out by Tuesday at the latest."**

**My heart dropped at the thought. "That soon?"**

**Charlie nodded. "Yeah. Truth be told, we could have been done with this awhile ago. We were just a bit more thorough than they expected. But really, Hermione, you should come by. It would mean a lot to Mum."**

**I sighed heavily and weighed my options. I hadn't been to the Burrow since the funeral. But it would lovely to see Mr. and Mrs. Weasley again. And Charlie would probably be there…were we really done with our case already?**

**"Alright," I agreed. "Alright, I'll go. You'll be there, right?"**

**That darn half smile. I never hated it more than I did now. "Yeah, I'll be there. So, eleven on Sunday. You'd better be there, too."**

**"I will be," I said hesitantly. He raised an eyebrow, and my stomach fluttered a bit. "I'll be there. Eleven o'clock," I told him confidently.**

* * *

><p><strong>Brunch at the Burrow became a regular occurrence. Nearly every Sunday morning, I was there, usually accompanied by Harry and at least one of the Weasley children. Oh, and Charlie.<strong>

**The visits could be rough. It was impossible to not think of Ron whenever I was there. I felt better whenever Harry was there with me; I felt even better than that whenever Charlie was around.**

**I couldn't explain what was happening to me. Every second I spent around Charlie made me feel safer and happier than I had felt in a very long time; it also made me feel guiltier. I used to think it odd to imagine myself moving on with a stranger. Now, I was wishing for just that. Anything would be easier to do than fall for my dead boyfriend's brother.**

**I thought about what my mum had asked. Would it have been different if he was someone else's brother? Absolutely. I was certain that if things had gone differently, had Harry and Ron never befriended me, or had I been born into an alternate universe where Ron never existed, Charlie and I would have met and fallen in love and lived happily ever after. He was good for me.**

**But Ron had been better.**

**But Ron wasn't there anymore.**

**My dilemma reached its peak one Sunday evening in February when Charlie offered to see me home from the Burrow. We stood outside my apartment for a few minutes talking and laughing like we usually did. I couldn't take my eyes off that charming smile of his. It didn't seem like he could take his eyes off of me either.**

**"I have to get going," Charlie said finally. He was standing rather close, and my back was already propped up against my door. "It's getting late."**

**I frowned. "You don't want to come in for a bit?"**

**"It's not that I don't want to." He was getting closer. "I have to get up early for work tomorrow."**

**"Me, too," I said quickly. "It's not _that_ late."**

**Charlie seemed to be getting closer and closer; I wasn't bothering to move. "Hermione," he breathed. "I really shouldn't."**

**We both knew he wasn't just talking about staying late. "But I want you to."**

**There was only a moment's silence before we closed the remaining space between us. His lips worked gently against mine. He tasted amazing. I allowed myself to put a hand on his chest and another around his neck and he put his on my hips. The world was fading into the background, and for the first time in months, the dull aching in my gut was subsiding, morphing into a flock of butterflies. Happiness spread through me from head to toe-**

**"I can't," Charlie said, pulling away. "I'm sorry, Hermione, but I just can't do this."**

**Reality charged back at full force. I had kissed Charlie. I had kissed Ron's brother. It felt like I had just stabbed him in the back. And now, Charlie was upset. I was a horrible person.**

**"Maybe you _should_ go after all," I said quietly. Charlie nodded and backed away down the hall.**

**"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-I'll see you around," he finished quickly and apparated. I stood there alone for a few minutes before I unlocked my apartment and walked like a zombie to my bed, where I curled up and cried until morning.**

* * *

><p><strong>I couldn't stop thinking about Charlie.<strong>

**I missed him. I never wanted to see him again. I fantasized. I cried. I thought about writing him. I started a letter three times and threw them all out.**

**I couldn't stop thinking about Ron, either.**

**I missed him, too. I was never going to see him again, though I wanted to more than anything. I cried. I drowned myself in guilt.**

**Of course, I talked it through with my mother. She told me Ron would want me happy, and I believed that. I _knew_ that. But would he want me happy with_ his brother_? I had a hard time believing _that_.**

**I told Harry as much of the situation as I could without giving away exactly who I was talking about. I told him I had feelings for someone else, and how conflicted I felt about it all. He agreed with my mum. Ron would want me to be happy.**

**"If the guy makes you happy, you should go for it," Harry told me at lunch one day. "Look, it's not like you're betraying him. Not in the slightest. You don't have an obligation to be alone for the rest of your life."**

**"I know," I muttered. "But this…this is different."**

**Harry shook his head. "I can't imagine anything that would make it different. You should be with someone who makes you as happy as you can possibly be. And maybe no one will ever make you feel quite the same way, or just as happy, but you should give anyone who comes close a shot."**

**I pondered this for a second. "I have to tell you something," I said slowly.**

**"Oh boy," Harry said nervously. "Alright, shoot."**

**"I…I kissed Charlie."**

**Harry choked on his water, and when he recovered, he simply stared at me in shock. "Well," he said finally, "I see your dilemma."**

**"I don't know what to do," I cried, burying my head in my hands.**

**It was a few minutes before Harry said my name. I looked at him through my fingers, near tears. "Does he make you happy?"**

**"Yes," I said without thinking. "Yes, he absolutely does. But-"**

**"No buts," Harry cut in. "If he makes you happy-"**

**"He's Ron's brother, Harry," I hissed. "Surely you see how wrong that is."**

**"I see how wrong it is that Ron's dead," Harry told me. "I see how wrong it is that you've been nothing but depressed for over a year now. You're not yourself. And I see how wrong it is that you're hurting so badly, that all of us are. Yeah, it's not going to be quite as simple as it would be with someone else. It'll be a bit harder for others to get used to than it would be to see you with someone else. But it wouldn't be wrong at all for you to be happy at the end of all this."**

**I hated it when people told me things I didn't want to hear, and this time was no exception. However, I decided that I needed to at least talk to Charlie about it all, so I plucked up enough courage to finally owl him that afternoon. He agreed to come by that night to talk.**

**I was going out of my mind with nerves by the time I got home from work and nearly a basket case when Charlie finally arrived. I let him in and we sat in awkward silence for nearly a minute when I opened my mouth, only to hear Charlie's voice.**

**"I can't stop thinking about you." We finally looked at each other. "I cant' take it. This isn't right, but I-I just want to be with you more than anything." He laughed sarcastically and shook his head. "You're not mine. And you're never going to be mine. So let's not get caught up in something that won't work out."**

**It took me a moment to register what he was saying. "Charlie, don't say that. You can't know that it won't-"**

**"I _do_ know," he said hotly. "Hermione, you were with my brother. He loved you more than anything. I can't just forget that for my own selfish wants."**

**"You're not being selfish," I told him sadly. This wasn't going well at all. "You're not. I want this, too. I-it's hard. It's hard because you're his brother, and that makes it so much more difficult than it would be if it were anyone else. And I'm confused. I'm confused because I like you, Charlie, a lot, but I feel guilty, and I'm always sad. I'm so used to being sad and alone. But when I'm with you…it's better. I feel happy, and I haven't in months, and you make me feel safe, and…" I didn't know what else to say.**

**"What is it about me that makes you so happy?" Charlie asked. "I'm horrible for even being here, but I make you happy?"**

**"You do," I giggled nervously. "We agree on nearly everything. You're not afraid to tell me when you don't agree, or when I'm just being a pain in the arse. Not many people are that brave. And you really care about other creatures. You're passionate about what you do. You push me to do things I wouldn't do."**

**"Like what?"**

**"You made me go to the Burrow," I said. "And that was a good thing. I was too busy wallowing at my pity party to go and be around the people I cared about, and you brought that back to me."**

**Charlie was quiet again for a moment. "I feel like I'm betraying Ron."**

**I moved from my armchair to sit by him on the couch. "I know exactly how you feel. But I was talking to Harry earlier, and he said-"**

**"You told Harry about this?" Charlie seethed.**

**"Let me finish," I said, putting my hand on his arm. He seemed to soften at my touch, and I could feel my insides going wild. "He told me that I should be with someone who makes me happiest I can be. No matter the circumstances. And I can't possibly imagine being any happier with anyone else than I am whenever I'm around you."**

**"Do you really mean that?" Charlie had his eyebrow raised, and I nearly melted.**

**I nodded. "Of course I do. I'm sick of being unhappy. I'm sick of feeling hurt and miserable all the time, and it goes away when you're around. I just…I need you, Charlie."**

**I was practically in his lap now; our faces were only a few inches apart, and it was taking all of my self control to keep from snogging him right then and there.**

**"Are you sure?" Charlie asked me. "Are you absolutely sure this is what you want? You really want to try this out?"**

**"Yes," I said quickly. "I'm more than sure that this is what I want."**

**Charlie sighed. "I guess it's worth a shot," he said finally.**

**I couldn't recall ever smiling so widely. "It is," I whispered before I kissed him. _This isn't so bad_, I thought to myself. In fact, it was a wonderful distraction. The dull ache I usually felt withered away to a small poke. It was the most marvelous thing, falling in love. _But only one more time_, I told myself. _Never again. Just one last time._**

* * *

><p><strong>I couldn't stop staring at myself. It seemed impossible that I could be standing there in a wedding gown, hair and makeup done to the nines, ready to tie myself to someone else forever.<strong>

**Of course, I had always assumed I would get married. It was just that I had always pictured it differently. I had always seen myself holding a bouquet of roses, in a simple a-line gown, walking down the aisle in a grand church building.**

**But today, I was holding daisies, wearing a sparkly mermaid style dress, getting ready to walk through the Weasleys' yard. It wasn't so bad. I felt good about my appearance. I loved the Burrow. I frowned slightly as I looked down at my flowers, though. Roses were my favorite, but daisies would have to do. There would be more roses other days.**

**I was surprised that I wasn't getting cold feet or having second thoughts. On the contrary, I was feeling better about my decision than ever before. Marrying Charlie was the best thing I could do with my life. We were inseparable as it was; we figured we might as well just make it legal.**

**I loved him. He woke me up from nightmares and comforted me. He listened to me whenever I rambled on. He picked up books he thought I might be interested in whenever he saw them just because, "it looks like something you would love." And usually I did. The past four years had been happier than I had ever imagined they could be..**

**As I looked at myself in the mirror for the last time, I remembered my theory on Charlie, the one I came up with when we first started dating. If we had been in a parallel universe, he would have been The One. This was nothing like what I always had pictured my wedding to be like. The dress was wrong, the flowers were wrong…**

**And Ron was supposed to be the groom.**

**This must have been fate's way of fixing things. Charlie and I were supposed to find each other, but Ron got in the way. Maybe I hadn't been dropped into an alternate world; maybe I had been in an alternate world all along, and this was fate's way of fixing it to match the others.**

**"Hermione, it's time," Dad said behind me. I nodded and followed him out of Ginny's room to the garden, where the procession was starting. I glimpsed Charlie waiting at the end of the aisle, just inside the tent, and smiled. Of course I was making the right decision. _I might not have Ron, but this is the next best thing_, I reassured myself as I began to walk. _This is the best thing you can do. You're moving on._**

* * *

><p>"No, really, he was a perfect little gentleman," I insisted as I handed James to Ginny the next morning. "We didn't have any problems, and he fell right asleep, almost instantly."<p>

"He's been having some trouble with obeying orders lately," Harry admitted to me. "Getting a bit rebellious, and barely a year old. I dread the teen years."

"Well, he didn't do any rebelling here," I fudged, overlooking his hesitation with the blocks the night before. "He's welcome to come back any time. We always have some fun."

James was hugging Ginny tightly around the neck while cooing, "Mummy," over and over again. It was clear that James was a mummy's boy, which I think hurt Harry's ego a little bit. I was hoping their next child would be a girl who would wrap him around her finger so he would get a shot at being the favorite parent for once.

"Oh, believe me, I'll keep that in mind," Ginny said as she cuddled her son and kissed the top of his head. "I love him dearly, but I'll be needing a break every now and again in the next few months."

James suddenly grabbed Ginny's face in both his hands and said, "I mish yew," before kissing her on the cheek.

"On second thought, he might not need to come over quite as often. I missed you too, baby."

"Thanks again for watching him," Harry said as he opened the door for Ginny. "You sure you don't want to come by tonight?"

"I'll be alright," I assured him. "I'm just going to be going over some work, enjoying the silence before it gets old."

"If you say so." Harry obviously wished I would do differently. "Oh, well. If you get lonely, just stop-_OI_!" he shouted as he stumbled and nearly fell. I spotted Crookshanks making his way down the porch steps.

"Oh, Crookshanks-CROOKSHANKS! Get back here!"

He ignored me and continued running. Harry and I took off after him, running into the woods.

"_Crookshanks_!" I shouted. "Crookshanks, where are you?"

I couldn't believe it; both of my ginger boys had left me in the same week.

* * *

><p><em>His disappearin',<em>

_Fadin' steadily_

_When I'm so close to being yours._

_Won't you stay with me, please?_

* * *

><p>AN: So...the next chapter is gonna be AMAZING! Just sayin'...and this song fits way better than the one from the last chapter would have, so I switched it. It's called Near To You by A Fine Frenzy. :)

Can't wait to see you all next chapter...be prepared!


	6. Butterfly Nets

A/N: IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU READ THIS.

I originally wrote most of this long, long, long author's note after the first couple negative reactions last week, so…

Oh, btw, THIS IS A RON AND HERMIONE FIC. I'm writing it. I think I might know, don't you?

And I'm going to explain Hermione's mindset quickly simply because she won't be around enough in this chapter to do it herself. (That's right, we have an almost Hermione-free chapter! I TOLD YOU IT WAS GOING TO BE SICK!)

"Numbing the pain for a while will make it worse when you finally feel it." –Albus Dumbledore (I think OOTP?)

For over a year, Hermione was in pain over Ron's death. The beginning of the last chapter was October 1999, and Charlie and Hermione getting together was in February 2001. They dated for nearly three and a half years before they got married. So, after a year, Hermione was sick of being sad and alone. Do you blame her? At first, Charlie was like a connection to what used to be, but she came to like him for him. That's really what I wanted to show with that last chapter. Actually, here, take a list of what I wanted to do/show/whatever with that chapter (whether or not I did a good job is another story…):

-Charlie **is** actually **a good guy** with a **conscience**.

-Hermione **didn't** like Charlie **just** because he reminded her of Ron.

-They **weren't** like "Oh, who cares about Ron, let's just go for it!" No, they totally knew how it would look, and how **wrong it felt**, and that nearly stopped them.

-Hermione **wasn't** with Charlie **just** because he was the **first guy** to show after Ron; she actually liked **him**.

-Hermione had to try to **justify** being with Charlie **even though she really liked him, because Ron was still on her mind.**

So, Hermione came to really like Charlie. Of course she felt guilty, but she wanted to stop feeling hurt all. The. Damn. Time. She went with something that numbed the pain.

Somebody said that I was being contradictory because Hermione said she had no second thoughts about marrying Charlie, but then had to reassure herself when she was walking down the aisle. That wasn't me; that was Hermione being contradictory. She was being dishonest and trying to convince herself she was doing the absolutely right thing for her. Unfortunately, the numbing was starting to wear off…

Our story starts a year later. The numbing has since continued to wear off. What originally made Hermione's relationship with Charlie that a distraction from pain is now making it a burden because it's not working as well as it once was.

Oh, and thank you everyone who had a bunch of nice, kind words. I appreciated them so much.

So, there you go. Buildup is done. Let's get down to business, yeah?

The song is Butterfly Nets by Bishop Allen, btw. I seriously love this song...

And like I said; it's a Ron and Hermione fic.

* * *

><p><em>Up and up you go<em>  
><em>For to steal the secrets of the heavens.<em>  
><em>Will you share them with me,<em>  
><em>My bright &amp; brilliant spy?<em>

* * *

><p>One very bright morning, the birds decided to sing much more loudly than usual. A young man grumbled and rolled over in his bed as he tried to muffle the sound by pulling his pillow over his head. As if they knew, the birds raised their voices. For some reason, they were very intent on pulling him out of bed this morning. After nearly an hour of frustration, the young man surrendered and rolled out of bed, cursing under his breath as he did so.<p>

For some reason, today felt different. Something in the young man's gut told him something was going to happen today. What exactly, he hadn't the slightest idea.

So, he went about his day as normally as possible. He poured himself a bowl of cereal and opened up the Daily Prophet to check for anything eventful. The Boy Who Lived had put another potential dark lord behind bars. The goblin rebellion wasn't going anywhere, though the young man wondered if the goblins were really as uncooperative as the author claimed. The article had been written by Rita Skeeter, after all.

His day passed and he found it to be no different from any of the others. He did some work, he ate lunch, he worked some more, he did laundry, he ate dinner, and he finally relaxed on the old worn out sofa in the front room with the puzzle section of his morning paper. The day was nearly over, and yet he still couldn't shake the feeling that something strange was about to happen.

It was nearly midnight when the young man woke with a start. His paper and quill slid to the floor as he looked around, disoriented after his impromptu nap. The bottle of ink he had been carefully balancing splattered on the floor and he swore loudly, quickly cleaning it from the rug with a wave of his wand.

He sat back and rubbed his temples. Why had he woken so suddenly? He had only just decided to forget it and go to bed when he heard an odd, screeching sound from outside. The young man froze; no one lived nearby, and it was rare to get any animals in the area that weren't deer or squirrels. With his wand drawn, he tiptoed over to the door and pulled it open slowly.

The man peered out into the dark night and saw nothing out of the ordinary, at least not with the glow of his wand. Everything was still and quiet except for crickets chirping lazily in the distance. Still feeling uneasy, he turned on the porch light. As he did so, he heard the noise again and raised his wand quickly.

It took him a minute to notice it at the edge of the trees. Some sort of creature was lurking there, moving forward ever so slowly. The man watched with baited breath until he realized it was hurt. Whatever it was had been limping. He lowered his wand and watched as it got closer, trying to figure out what it could be. Whatever it was wasn't native to this wood; that was certain.

Suddenly, the man realized that he knew this creature.

"Crookshanks?" he breathed to himself in confusion. "But what's he…oh, and he's _hurt_." He hurried forward quickly to the cat, who was now licking his wounded paw a few yards away in the front lawn. "Crookshanks," he called as he approached the cat, which looked up from his paw to find the source of the voice. As soon as he saw him, he stood quickly, forgetting his injury, and cried out again as he collapsed back onto the grass.

"You've got to be careful," the young man told his animal friend. "What've you gone and done this time?" The cat purred under his touch and whipped his bushy ginger tail around behind him. "Come on, let's take a look at that." The cat jumped when the man picked him up, but decided that the struggle wasn't worth it and allowed himself to be carried inside.

When they were safe inside the bungalow, the young man gently set Crookshanks in an armchair by the fireplace and patted him on the head. He then went about getting the cat a bowl of water and a blanket to lie on.

"Now, tell me," he said to the cat once he had returned with the supplies, "how, exactly, I can go all this time without having anyone bother me, and suddenly Hermione Granger's cat shows up on my doorstep?" The cat stared at him blankly. "Well, I supposed she's not Hermione _Granger _anymore, is she? I heard she got married awhile ago."

Still, Crookshanks looked at him without a single revelation on his furry face. The man sighed and watched as the tiny beast sipped some water and licked his paw.

"Well, I suppose we've got to get you mended," the young man finally said. "We can't have Hermione waiting for you to come back forever, now, can we?"

The cat purred at this idea and rolled over on his side, welcoming sleep. The man headed upstairs, supposing he should do the same.

* * *

><p>"Gone? What do you mean?"<p>

I let out an exasperated sigh and pressed my palm against my head in frustration. "I told you, Charlie, he just took off. Harry and George helped me look for _hours_. He's nowhere to be found. I've lost him, _I've really lost him_," I cried through the receiver of my cell phone.

"Oh, Hermione," Charlie sighed on the other end. "I'm so sorry I'm not there. I'm sure he'll turn up. Didn't he used to go out on strolls all the time when you were at Hogwarts?"

"He wasn't so…so _old_ then," I countered. "He might be hurt, or confused, and he's all alone out there. I don't know what to do. We've looked _everywhere_."

George frowned across the table and Harry rubbed my back comfortingly. We had spent the entire afternoon looking through the forest surrounding the house for Crookshanks with no success. Now, it was pitch dark outside. We had no hopes of finding him before the morning, and he could be anywhere_, in any state of being_, by then.

"Well, don't dwell on it," Charlie advised. "I'm sure he knows what he's doing, or someone may have come across him. He'll turn up."

Charlie could be horrendous at the pretending game sometimes. He obviously didn't know that you couldn't play when reality was much too apparent or fresh. I couldn't possibly pretend that I would ever see Crookshanks again right now because I was still reeling from the loss.

"Maybe," I said gruffly. "I need to sleep on it. Maybe I'll go to bed, and wake up, and he'll be waiting outside on the porch."

"That's the spirit," Charlie said encouragingly. "I'm sure he'll be around tomorrow. He probably just wanted to chase down some mice."

"I hope you're right," I mumbled into the phone. "I'll go on to bed then."

"Alright. I miss you."

"I miss you, too. Good night."

"Good night. Have sweet dreams. I love you."

"Love you, too. Bye."

I threw the phone onto the table and propped my head up with my hands. "I don't understand. I don't know where he could have gone."

"You might be right," Harry said quickly. "I'm sure he'll just turn up on the porch tomorrow, waiting to be let in."

"Yeah, Crookshanks is a smart cat, Hermione," George echoed. "He knows better than to just leave. He's probably just getting some fresh air."

"Wherever he is, he's up to no good," I said.

"What makes you so sure?" Harry asked.

"I just know," I snapped. "I can feel it. Something's…not right." I sighed heavily. "Oh, I should just sleep. Maybe this is all just a nightmare."

"Do you want us to stay?" George asked, but I shook my head.

"No, just go on home. Really, I'm alright. I'll let you know if he turns up tomorrow."

Harry, who seemed to have agreed with George's idea, hesitated. "Well, if you're absolutely sure that you're okay…"

I nodded. "_Yes_, just go home. You two have been enough help this afternoon. I don't know what I would have done without you." I hugged them both swiftly and said my goodbyes before watching them apparate from my porch. With a heavy heart, I locked the door behind them and trudged up to bed, where I laid awake for hours.

Crookshanks had been there for me through the most difficult times of my life. I'd known him longer than I'd known Charlie, for Merlin's sake. And suddenly, he was gone. This seemed to be turning into a habit, this losing-important-people-and-now-pets-suddenly thing, one that I was all too eager to kick.

Eventually, I was able to drift off to sleep with Charlie's words about Crookshanks returning ringing in my ears.

* * *

><p>Angelina hadn't been able to get through a night without waking up to toss and turn at least twice in the past six months.<p>

Tonight was no different. The first time that night, it had been nearly one in the morning, and it had been George rummaging for a night shirt that had woken her. It was nearly a quarter to three when her eyes shot open the second time. This time, there had been no noises in particular that seemed to have caused it. Fred wasn't crying, her back wasn't aching, and George was making no noise at all.

Maybe it was that _silence_ that had woken her.

Angelina rolled over to find George sitting up, staring at the wall. "George, are you alright, sweetie?"

He didn't answer her right away; when he finally did, it was in a strangled voice. "I hate doing this."

Angelina sat up immediately. "What about it do you hate?"

George hesitated again. "The lying. Lying to people I love. Watching them hurt for no good reason. Knowing I could stop it if I wasn't such a coward."

"You're hardly a coward," Angelina snapped immediately. "Don't say such things. You know, you're not the only one who hates the way things are."

"I'm the only one who seems to want to do anything about it."

"There's nothing you _can_ do about it," Angelina reminded him. "It's the only way."

"Somehow, I doubt that." George sighed and leaned against Angelina as she wrapped her arms around him. "I'm sure there were plenty of other ways. We just didn't bother looking around. We panicked, and we jumped on the first _stupid_ idea we had."

"And tell me," Angelina began. "Tell me, how many other ideas have you thought of since then? How many other ways have you discovered since you carried on with the one you did?"

George was silent, and Angelina knew that she had made her point. "I was being selfish, though. If I had it to do again-"

"You would do the same thing," Angelina interrupted. George sat up and pulled himself out of her arms. "You can deny it all you want-"

"You're damn right I can," George said angrily. "And I will. Do you think if I had any idea what this was going to do to my family, I wouldn't have done differently?"

"But that's why you did it," Angelina reminded him soothingly. "You did it for your family. If you had done nothing, you'd be kicking yourself for whatever suffering they'd have gone through anyway. Please, George, stop being so hard on yourself."

She kissed him on the cheek and rested her forehead against the side of his. "I don't think I'm being hard on myself. I think I'm beginning to realize how horrible the decisions I've made really are. What was I thinking?"

"You were thinking you were helping your brother, and your family." George turned so that his forehead rested against Angelina's. "And those intentions are what make you nothing remotely close to a coward. Your choices weren't horrible; you just didn't have very good things to pick from. You did the best you could with what you had."

A small smile slowly stretched its way across George's face. "Have I ever told you that I'd be completely lost without you?"

His wife smiled back at him. "Only a handful of times. Have I ever told you that I love you?"

"You might have mentioned it," George joked. "Once or twice." He lay down and pulled Angelina into his arms, though he was still not at peace. "I really hope Crookshanks turns up soon."

"You and me both," Angelina said. "Poor Hermione. She's a real trooper, though, isn't she? Oh, George, he'll turn up! Don't get all gloomy over a cat."

"It's not the cat I'm getting gloomy over."

"You know what I mean!" Angelina refused to let her husband live a life if guilt and depression. "Stop it, just _stop_. What's done is done, and we're moving on. We've got Fred and the little one on the way to think about. You can't dwell on this forever."

The couple was silent for a long time. Angelina had nearly drifted back to sleep when she heard George whisper to her.

"Did I do the right thing?"

Angelina gave him a peck on the cheek and brushed the ends of his hair out of his eyes. "I think you did the best possible thing you could have."

George pulled his lifeline closer. "That'll have to do," he yawned. "That'll have to do."

* * *

><p>The young man had nearly forgotten that Crookshanks was in his sitting room. It wasn't until he was halfway down the staircase that he recalled the events from the previous night, and he was glad he had remembered. Otherwise, he might have accidentally hexed the cat into another dimension. He was still shocked that the cat had found his way there. He was too far from any villages for people to come wandering over. How was it that a <em>cat<em> had managed to find him?

The cat was already awake and waiting for his friend when he reached the sitting room.

"We've got to get you healing, haven't we?" the man asked Crookshanks. He ran a hand through his unbrushed hair (really, who was he going to impress?) and grabbed a book on magical creature care from the den. "Let's see, broken bones…ah, here we go." He kneeled before Crookshanks and scanned the instructions before him.

"Okay, first we've got to make sure that's what we've got here. Er…I can't exactly ask you if it's a sharp or dull pain, can I? I suppose that's for creatures like centaurs…not that _they'd_ ever have a _wizard_ heal them…or let them refer to them as creatures." He continued to read until he found a useful bit, Sure enough, the paw was broken (at least, according to the book). "So all we need is a spell? Hmm. Here goes nothing, I guess. _Episkey_."

The wand shot out a little silver jet, and then nothing appeared to have happened. Crookshanks sat looking back and forth between the man and his paw before he licked it again.

"Er…why don't you try it out?" the young man suggested. Crookshanks only looked at him again and licked his paw. The young man sighed and was about to consult the book again when the cat propped himself up, walked in a circle, and hopped off the chair.

"What do you know," the man chuckled. "A simple spell. We could have had you back home last night."

As if he understood, Crookshanks waddled to the front door and pawed at it, meowing loudly.

"Want to get back to Hermione, eh?" the man asked the cat. "Alright, I'll take you back. Er, I'll _try_ to get you back anyway." He opened the door and the pair set off into the warm Sunday sun.

* * *

><p>Harry stretched out his arms and folded them underneath his head, blinking slowly so the sunlight wouldn't overwhelm his ill-adjusted eyes. He could hear the soft, slow breathing of the woman next to him and turned to look at her. Ginny's long, red hair was sprawled out across her pillow, and her right arm circled it, ending just above her head, where her hand lay open. He noticed that the other was resting protectively on the small bulge of her stomach.<p>

Harry smiled to himself. If someone had told him ten years ago that this was where he would be-married to the love of his life with a beautiful baby and another happy, healthy child on the way, with no scar pangs along the way-he would have laughed. Things had been so different then. He marveled at how quickly and drastically things could change. One day you're fighting for your life, and the next you're living peacefully in a suburb with your own little iron fence and garden.

But Harry was also reminded, as he observed his wife's red hair and freckles, that things could change for the worst when you least expected. One day, you could be alive and well. The next, you could be…

Harry gave into the overwhelming urge to embrace Ginny. He heard her stirring as he kissed her neck, hardly caring that he woke her, as he was too glad to have her in his arms again. He had never been so grateful for anything in his life.

"G'morning, sleepy-head," Harry whispered into her ear.

"Sleepy-head? It's barely eight o'clock, Harry."

"Sorry," Harry chuckled. "I couldn't resist. I love you."

"I know," Ginny mumbled, turning over. "And I love you, too, but I'm too tired for your romantics and shenanigans at the moment."

Harry allowed the rejection but refused to let go. He spooned himself against Ginny and buried his head in her neck, trying to lose himself in her scent…

"Harry, what's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Don't lie to me."

Harry sighed into Ginny's soft skin and kissed it softly. "Really, I'm fine."

She rolled back over to stare him head-on. He hated when she did that. He couldn't hide anything from her when she looked at him like that.

"You know, I was just thinking how crazy it is. Crookshanks was the first one to sniff out Pettigrew, you know. Back when he was Scabbers." Ginny frowned and stroked Harry's cheek with the back of her hand. "Ron was so upset when he'd thought Crookshanks had eaten him. He and Hermione rowed about that one for months," he finished with a laugh. Ginny smiled slightly, but it faded quickly.

"Is today one of those days?"

Harry sighed. "Yeah. Yeah, it is. Merlin, I hate these days," he muttered as Ginny wrapped her limbs around him. It worked; he was beginning to lose himself in her, remembering that he still had things to live for. He slid a hand over her stomach and Ginny slid one of hers over his. He was almost instantly cheered. Almost. "I just miss him so much."

"I know how you feel," Ginny consoled. "Believe me, I do. And I'm sure he misses you, too. He's probably sick of having no one but Fred for company."

Harry couldn't help but laugh. "You don't think he'd like that? Every joke at his expense?" Ginny laughed along. "You know what I hate? I hate that it hurts to laugh about that."

"I know, Harry."

"You know what else I hate?"

"Hmm?"

"I hate all the bloody bastards who are still out there. The ones who will do it to someone else before we get to them. I hate that James won't ever get to know his uncles. I can't stand the idea that my children won't get to know someone who was-_who is_-such a big part of my life."

"We already tell James all about Fred and Ron. It's a start."

"Stories aren't the same. Stories don't do what a birthday gift or a childhood memory does. It's not fair to them. And I hate that Crookshanks just took off like that," Harry exclaimed angrily.

"Harry, he didn't purposefully leave," Ginny reminded him. "He just followed his instincts."

"I don't care. He left, and now Hermione's a mess again. I hate that the most. I hate what this has done to her. And why the hell is Charlie in Romania? Why is he leaving her for a whole fucking month? She shouldn't be on her own that long. Anything could happen, and they're out in that remote-"

"Harry, calm down," Ginny said quickly. "He had to go for work. You know he didn't want to."

"No, but he could have stayed," Harry insisted. "If he really wanted to, he could have found a way to stay. Damn it, Ron didn't have a choice, but Charlie did, and he should have stayed."

"He's not going away forever," Ginny said once she'd recovered from this outburst.

"Might as well be."

"That's not fair, Harry, and it's not true in the slightest."

"I don't care," Harry said testily. "I'm pissed. Beyond pissed. I can be as unreasonable as I want right now." He threw back the sheets and sat on the edge of the bed, head in his hands. He was becoming all too familiar with this position.

Ginny was there in a second, her arms working as a remedy for his anger. He couldn't be angry for long when he had her. She gave him so much to be happy about.

"I talked to Charlie about this before he went," she told him calmly. "He didn't want to go. He doesn't want to be there, and if there were another way, he'd be home right now. He _had_ to go. And I think one month of working abroad is excusable after everything he's done in the past few years."

"No," Harry said. "No, there had to have been another way-"

"_Harry, stop."_

He did so quickly; he hadn't meant to make Ginny angry. But now he was looking up into a face of hard, blazing anger. It was a look Ginny did well. Harry had never seen it and not been scared into silence.

"I won't have you sit here and attack my brother for _one thing_ he _couldn't help_ after all the good he's done for _your best friend_. Or have you forgotten what kind of place Hermione was in after Ron died?" Harry winced when she said this. It was something he liked to forget as best he could. The idea of Hermione being lost and hopeless unnerved him, and that was all his mind could see when he thought back to the dark ages. "Don't start on Charlie. He hasn't done anything wrong, and he doesn't deserve your anger."

"You-you're right, Ginny. I'm sorry. You know I didn't mean that."

"I know." She ran a hand through his untidy hair affectionately. "How about I get breakfast started? We'll have an early Sunday. Why don't you go play with Jamie for a bit?" Harry nodded his approval of the plan and Ginny kissed him before leaving their bedroom.

Harry glanced at his bedside table before he stood up and paused on the picture frame hidden behind the lamp. He pulled it and examined it. The photograph was of him and his two best friends at the Gryffindor table the night he'd been down in the Chamber of Secrets. It had been taken by Colin Creevey, who had happily given Harry a copy first thing when they returned to school that fall.

Part of Harry would have given anything to relive that night. But then, as he heard a loud _thud_ from the other side of the wall followed by a loud shriek of giggling, he realized that he was exactly where he was supposed to be. He sped off to James's room, eager to tell him another story about his uncle and a forest full of spiders-once he'd managed whatever mischief James was causing this time, of course.

* * *

><p>It was dark by the time the young man finally reached the forest he had been searching for. He appeared there with a <em>pop<em>, Crookshanks in his arms. He gently dropped the cat to the ground, hoping he wasn't letting him overdo it. He silently scolded himself for not reading the rest of the passage on broken bones.

"Well, she's got to be close by. This is the forest listed, is it not?" But Crookshanks looked very much at home in the forest and, unlike the many times when he had stayed by the man's side earlier, he took off in the right direction. "Crookshanks, hold up-_ouch_-I've got to get through these branches, you stupid cat!"

He followed Crookshanks for another five minutes or so before he finally saw the makings of a clearing illuminated in moonlight. The man edged forward cautiously. It had been years since he had last seen the cat's owner, and something told him she wouldn't take too kindly to seeing him appear just outside her home so suddenly.

Crookshanks had stopped just ahead of the clearing to wait for his companion. The young man could now see beyond the thinning trees easily. There was a two story cabin several yards into the clearing. Next to the trees was a charming well made of brick with a wooden roof. And kneeling on the other side of the well-

"_Crookshanks!"_

Crookshanks had abandoned him in the forest. Now, the cat was basking in the attention of his owner, who was elated to see him from the sound of it. The man felt as though he was intruding on a private, personal moment. This, along with the sudden realization that he wouldn't be able to handle seeing her after this long, caused him to start backing away as inconspicuously as possible.

"I thought I'd lost you forever! You silly cat, don't you ever do that a-"

The man froze just as she did; they had both heard the twig snap under his foot. His heart beat rapidly against his chest as her head snapped in his direction, eyeing the trees for the source of the noise. _Don't see me_, his brain pleaded. _Please, don't see me. See anything but me…_

"Who's there?" she called confidently. He didn't dare answer. He hoped that she would assume that she had been hearing things and go about her business. Unfortunately for him, the opposite happened.

"I know you're there," she called out. Her voice was a bit shaky this time. "Who-"She stopped and he knew she had seen him hiding in the trees. "Come out with your hands up. Throw your wand down." She raised her own. "Come on, I see you there. Come on out. I'm armed!"

He would have been surprised and disappointed if she hadn't been. His heart rate still quickening to the point of hyperactivity, the young man eased himself out of the trees with his arms up in a defenseless manner. He felt as though he was having one of those out of body experiences. Everything seemed surreal. There was no way this could be happening.

Barely breathing, the young man stepped out of the trees to face his old classmate.

* * *

><p>It was dark when I decided to go out to the well. We had running water, but I was hoping I would catch site of Crookshanks. I had waited hopefully all day only to be disappointed by a very obvious lack of my ginger cat.<p>

I had only been there for about two minutes when he appeared_. "Crookshanks!"_ I cried, thrilled and shocked to see him returning to me. I kneeled down and gathered him in my arms, stroking and kissing his fur. "I thought I'd lost you forever! You silly cat, don't you ever do that a-"

And then I heard it. A twig snapped just where Crookshanks had appeared from. My heart nearly stopped as my head jerked up, my hand on my wand.

Someone was definitely in those trees.

"Who's there?"

I didn't let my emotion show. Deep down, I was terrified. Hell, on the surface, I was terrified. My mind raced as I wondered if I could head whoever it was off and floo to Harry's without being followed. Escape methods popped in and out of my head so fast it was a wonder I processed any of them.

"I know you're there," I called again. My fear wasn't so easily disguised this time. "Who-" I stopped as I noticed a tall outline a few yards away, barely hidden by the trees at the end of the clearing. "Come out with your hands up. Throw your wand down." The words flew out of my mouth before I could think, and I was grateful for my body's ability to go on autopilot. "Come on, I see you there. Come on out. I'm armed!"

Whoever it was hesitated for another moment before they slowly made their way through the trees, arms raised. My heart was hammering under my ribcage. I should have run for it when I'd had the chance. For all I knew, it could have been an escaped prisoner, fully capable of powerful dark magic. And here I was, little Hermione, all by my lonesome with no one but Crookshanks to help me defend myself.

But when they finally stepped out from the cover of the trees, my heart caught in my throat. I certainly wouldn't need any sort of defense.

The silence was long and tense. "Hermione," he said finally. "Listen, I can explain."

I simply stared, incapable of speech. I hoped he was right.

I needed a good explanation as to why Ron Weasley was standing in front of me, alive and well.

* * *

><p><em>Should you be blown back,<em>  
><em>Know that I will always run to greet you,<em>  
><em>Still surprised to catch you<em>  
><em>Every time.<em>

* * *

><p>AN: I mean…

Well…

Ron Weasley always comes back, doesn't he?

See you before the weekend's out…


	7. This Is My Hello

A/N: 14 e-mails when I got up Saturday. 14. And more followed. What even. Thank you all so much!

I should also clarify that I had a long weekend because of Labor Day (woo, USA!) which is why I said I'd see you by the close of the weekend…okay today…sorry if I disappointed you!

I'm curious: who's your favorite character in this fic so far?

Oh, and nothing's wrong with Ron. He's not disfigured or anything, I mean. I couldn't bear to do anything like that to my Ickle Ronniekins. (_But you can bear to tear him away from his true love for years_, you all say…)

And thank you everyone for reviews, good and bad. They help me do a better job. Sorry I went a bit ham at the beginning of the last chapter, I just had to get that all out.

OMG AND SHOUT OUT! To xXGred-ForgeXx for thinking it was Neville! Because as I was writing, I was like, "I know it's really no mystery who 'the young man' is, but I hope people think it's Malfoy or Neville or something." I was rolling when I read your review. This chapter is dedicated to you!

Here you guys goooooooooo…

* * *

><p><em><em>Maybe in five or ten yours and mine will meet again,<em>  
><em>Straighten this whole thing out.<br>Maybe then honesty need not be feared as a friend or an enemy.  
>But this is the distance,<br>And this is my gameface.__

* * *

><p>It was miraculous to me that I was still breathing. I felt like I was in a cloud of fog, and everything around me was slowing down. It couldn't possibly be-<p>

"You're sick," I choked. "Who are you, really? What do you want?"

"Hermione, it's me."

"I don't believe you."

I refused to accept that Ron was really standing there, hands in the air, looking nearly as terrified as I felt. It had to be some sort of sick joke.

"Well, then why don't I just go on my way, and-"

"_No_," I barked. "You're not going anywhere, not until you tell me who you are and why you're snooping around-"

"Hermione, it's me, I swear." I gulped and gave him the once over. He certainly looked like Ron, all height and limbs, topped with flaming red hair. I dared to look at his eyes-the same blue eyes that used to stare at me all those years ago.

"You're not Ron," I said, shaking my head. "You're not…you can't be. Ron's dead."

He looked at me sheepishly. "No, I'm-I'm not _dead_. I can explain everything, but-"

"Why are you here?" I interrupted before he could talk his way into my brain.

"Crookshanks," he said simply. "He showed up at my place with a broken paw last night. I just figured I'd fix him and bring him back is all. I didn't…you weren't supposed to see me."

The shock of what I was seeing started to wear off and I could feel myself shaking. I jumped when Crookshanks rubbed himself against my leg, meowing contentedly. _He_ seemed to trust the imposter.

After a few moments of silence, I shook my head again. "No, this can't be happening. You're not…_who are you_?"

He sighed. "Ronald Bilius Weasley, born March first, nineteen eighty. Sixth of seven children, best friend to the Boy Who Lived, Gryffindor house. I didn't return to Hogwarts for my seventh year because I was out hunting horcruxes with you and Harry. My family gave out the excuse that I had spattergroit and we had the ghoul in our attic pretend to be me. Oh, yeah, there's a ghoul in the attic of my childhood home, the Burrow, just outside of Ottery St. Catchpole. I used to have a pet rat named Scabbers, who really turned out to be Peter Pettigrew in animagus form. I left you and Harry on your own for a bit, that year that we didn't go back to Hogwarts. I went to Shell Cottage, and the deluminator helped me find my way back-"

"Anyone could have scrounged up that information," I spat.

"Well, how about this then. _You_ have a birthmark on your inner right thigh, too high up to see unless you're in nothing but your knickers." I opened my mouth, searching for words, and then closed it again finding none. "And the first time we made love was in the garden outside the Burrow, a week before you left to complete your last year at Hogwarts. And after, some of the gnomes came by and one of them bit your toe, and-should I keep going?"

I was still lost for words. No one else could have possibly known all that. But how could it be–

"Ron?"

Ron smiled slightly and nodded. "Yeah, it's me."

"You're…you're alive?" I asked in awe.

Ron frowned. "Yeah…about that…" I lowered my wand and he shoved his hands into his pockets as he watched me nervously. "I should probably just g-"

"Don't," I cried. "Please, don't go." I stepped warily in his direction, making my way to him slowly. When I was finally standing in front of him, I knew it was true. Ron was really alive, and he was standing right here in front of me. After all of these years of hoping and wishing, he was back. But how? What had changed? What sort of magic could bring people back from the dead?

"You know, I should probably modify your memory," Ron said after a minute of silence. "You weren't supposed to see me. You're not supposed to know that I'm…well, _alive_."

"And why not?" I asked hotly. "Don't you do a thing to my memory. I don't…I don't understand. How did you…I saw them bury you," I exclaimed. "I watched. Who-"

"That was me," Ron said. "Hermione, I really shouldn't-"

"Please," I pleaded. "Please, don't' go. I have to know now. I have to know why and how and…I can't just let you leave me again." Ron watched me as I placed my hands on his chest ran them over his torso, his arms, his face…it was him. It was really him, here, in the flesh. "It's really you."

He smiled at me. "It's really me. I've missed you."

I didn't say anything at first. I was thinking and feeling far too much. Shock, anger, confusion, and elation filled every bit of my body. "Have you?" I asked finally. My eyes were wide as I looked over every inch of him, looking for changes, for similarities, for something that would help me make sense of the past six years. _No_, I remembered_. Not six years just yet. Five years, eight months, and twenty-three days._

"More than you'll ever know," Ron told me. I glanced up at his face, risking everything for a glimpse of those blue eyes. I was done for; I felt myself come undone and leaned against him, wrapping my arms tightly around his abdomen. He didn't hesitate in wrapping his arms around me, pulling me into him. I felt a tiny sob find its way out of me, and once I had started, I couldn't stop. It had been nearly six years since I had seen him last, and all I could do was cry.

"I've missed you," I told him. "I've missed you so much. It's been absolute hell without you."

"I'm so sorry," Ron mumbled into my hair. "You have no idea. I didn't want to leave, Hermione. I wanted to stay, but-"

I pulled away. "Leave?" I shrieked. "_Leave_? You mean you _chose_ to go?"

Ron frowned again. "It's not that simple. Look, I told you, I can explain."

"You _did_!" I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I was torn between pulling him back into my arms and slapping him. I settled for shoving his shoulders. "I can't believe this. You mean I've been sitting here for nearly six years-"

"Hermione, it's not like-"

"-thinking you were dead, moping about, when you just wanted-"

"-that's not what-"

"-to be free of me?"

"That's not it at all," Ron snapped angrily. "You know damn well that's not something I'd ever want. Stop jumping to conclusions and _let me explain_."

We were both breathing heavily, trying to reign in our emotions. I wondered if he was feeling as much as I was. Maybe he was right; a person really could explode if they felt too much at once. I felt as though I was going to any second.

I was shivering. "Fine. Ron, let's just go inside. You can tell me everything there."

"I don't know if that's a good idea, Hermione."

"It's too cold out here, and we'd end up having to sit on the ground, and it would be so uncomfortable. Just come in, just for a little bit. Please?"

Ron nodded, still unsure, as I grabbed his hand and pulled him across the lawn, through the back door. I didn't want to let go; I had missed his touch far too much, and it was only now starting to sink in that he was here, and that I was holding his hand, and that he was very much alive. Once we were inside, I sat him on the sofa. "Do you want some tea? Or I can make hot chocolate, or if you just want water, or milk, and I think I've got some pumpkin juice around here some-"

"I don't need anything." Ron grabbed my wrist before I could scamper off to the kitchen to serve him every drink in the refrigerator. "I probably won't stay too long. Just sit, let's get this over with."

My heart sank. He had just gotten here, and he wanted to leave already. Maybe that really was what was going on. He must have gotten sick of me and not known how to get out of our relationship. Of course, faking his death to do so seemed a bit overdramatic.

I sat down across from him and leaned forward. "Just let me look at you for a moment."

Ron laughed softly and nodded. I studied every last detail. He was wearing dark jeans and a plaid button down shirt over a black tshirt. _A typical Ron outfit_, I thought happily to myself. At least his sense of 'style' hadn't changed. He was still just as tall as he'd always been, and he'd grown a bit more muscular. His hair was a little longer than I remembered, but it also looked as though he needed a cut soon, which might return it to the style I was familiar with. But his face…his face hadn't changed one bit. He was still pale and freckled. I saw him lick his lips out of the corner of my eye before I looked, for the third time, at his eyes. They were still the same piercing shade of blue…and they still looked at me the way they had all those years ago.

Was it really just a few weeks ago I had been wishing for that very thing?

"Where have you been?" I asked suddenly.

"Er…well, I've got this little bungalow," he replied. "Out in a forest, kinda like this. I've been there for…well ever since…" He broke off awkwardly, but our eyes didn't lose contact.

"But…how have you been supporting yourself?" Ron shifted uncomfortably. "It's a reasonable question, don't you think?"

"Yes," Ron agreed. "I just know you won't like the answer."

I frowned. "I have a feeling I won't like a lot of your answers."

Ron licked his lips and finally looked away from me. "Well, I guess it really falls under the 'how' category. I should just start from the beginning."

I nodded. "Go on."

"Well…alright. Hermione, I knew that morning that I wasn't going to come back. I had sort of planned it out. I didn't want to go, but-well, it was the only way to go about things. I had to get away from you before things got messy."

A sort of stinging had started in my gut when he began, and it was growing stronger with each word he uttered. Before things got messy? "You-you did all this because you didn't want to be with me anymore?"

"What? No!" Ron yelled and then recomposed himself. "No, Hermione, believe me, I wanted to be with you more than anything. It just…it wasn't really ideal at the time." I simply stared at him, and he continued. "I can't really tell you more than that. It was just really dangerous for me to be around you, especially when we were living together, and…well, I had to go. So Harry and I got assigned to this mission. I knew it would be a big deal. We'd been after this guy for ages, and he wasn't going down without a fight. If I made it through the day, it would be a perfect excuse. It wouldn't be hard to believe that I'd gone down in battle. It could have happened to anyone."

"So you used this case to your advantage?" I said, appalled. "You were so sure you were going to die that you figured you'd go ahead and take matters into your own hands when you didn't-"

"Let me finish," Ron interrupted. I huffed and crossed my arms, but shut my mouth. "I told you, you were going to be better off without me around. Well, I took a draught of the living dead with me. We took the guy down, but some of his supporters lagged behind, so as soon as I knew Harry and Neville had everything under control, I pretended to get hit with one of his shots. It barely missed me, too. Very convincing. I drank the potion and…well, that's all I remember until a few days later."

"You took a…but how did you wake up?"

"Now, Hermione, try to understand when I explain this to you," Ron said nervously. "And if you're going to be mad at anyone, be mad at me."

Hermione gasped. "Someone helped you! Someone helped you fake your death. Oh, what sort of idiot-"

"Calm down-"

"Calm down?" I was on my feet in a heartbeat. "You had me believing you were dead for nearly six years, Ron! All this time, I've been completely lost and depressed and _incomplete_, when really you've been _hanging around in some forest_. And now you tell me _someone helped you!_ Someone knew that you were _alive all this time_, and whoever they were helped you, and they didn't tell me, and you just _showed up alive_ five minutes ago, and _you_ want _me_ to be _calm_? _How dare you-"_

"You have every right to be angry," Ron said loudly as he got to his feet. "I don't blame you. It was horrible of me to deceive you like that, and I hate that I did it, but I had to. Just…just let me finish, okay? Let me finish, and then you can have your moment and scream and throw things, and then I'll go, and we can forget this ever happened."

"_But I don't want to forget,_" I hissed. "I don't want to forget that you were here. How could you suggest that?"

"Because it's the best solution for everyone involved." Ron sighed. "I told you, I shouldn't be anywhere near you. You weren't-"

"Supposed to see you, I know." I took a few deep breaths, trying to calm myself down, before curling up in the chair I'd been sitting in. "Alright. Go on. Who helped you?"

Ron hesitated. "Don't-don't be too hard on him, okay?" Knowing it was the only way to get him to say anything else, I nodded. "You know they buried me, you said you watched. I was sleeping the whole time. That potion's bloody strong, you know. And then George came and got-"

"_George?__"_ I gasped angrily.

"You said you were going to let me finish," Ron yelped.

"I will," I said quickly. "I want to hear it all, but…you mean, George has known all this time? _And he didn't tell anyone?_"

"I asked him not to," Ron said. "I went to him before I planned the whole thing out. I told him I had to get away, to protect you. Well, to protect everyone, really. He didn't want to do it, but he understood, and so he agreed to help me."

I had never felt so betrayed. All these years, George had been one of my biggest supporters, third only to Harry and Charlie. To find out that he had been lying to my face, telling me Ron wasn't coming back, encouraging me to move on when all the while he had known that Ron was alive…it was the most heart-wrenching feeling. If I couldn't trust George, who could I trust?

"He got me out of the casket and fixed it back the way it was, and he gave me the antidote. And that's how I've been making my living. He had the bungalow originally as a real estate investment, and he gave it to me to use. He's had me researching products for the shop, too."

I didn't know what to feel. Should I be angry? Sad? Disappointed, hurt, grateful? Happy? All this time, Ron had been alive and I had been wasting away in a fit of depression over something that wasn't true. Yet, he said he had done it for me. And he was alive and well, which was the best thing I could have ever hoped for. It was like something out of a strange fairytale.

I couldn't help but finally ask the inevitable. "But…why?"

Ron tilted his head slightly. "Why? Why what?"

"Why did you have to go?"

He sighed. "I told you, Hermione, it was to keep-"

"But what was so dangerous," I began, "that you couldn't be around me? Was someone after you? Did you make an enemy on a case? Oh, no, _you weren't bit by a werewolf, were you? _Ron, we could have handled that, We could have handled any of that."

Ron shook his head. "I wasn't bit, or anything like that. It's…it's complicated, Hermione…"

"Tell me," I pleaded. "You at least owe me that, to tell me why you've been gone."

"I can't." I knew he wasn't going to give in by the serious look on his face.

"Why the hell not?"

"Because it's not just about you, Hermione. Other people could be hurt by this, too."

Now, I was just mad. He had been away for years and he couldn't even tell me why?

"_You're not making any sense," _I shrieked. "You go away for _years_, _fake_ your own _death_, and you can't even tell me _why?_ You don't think I deserve to know why my life's been the way it's been all these years? _You're just going to leave me in the dark?"_

"You wouldn't have even known about this if it weren't for that bloody cat," Ron yelled. "If I hadn't shown up tonight, you would have gone on your whole life _not knowing_ that I was alive, or _why_ I'd left, and you would have gotten along just fine. _Nothing's changed_. There's no reason for me to tell you."

"_No reason?"_ I couldn't believe my ears. My voice was getting higher; it was a wonder he could still hear me. "You know what, you're right. I can't think of a _single reason_ that you might owe me an explanation for why _you_ left _me_, or why you would even _think_ of _deceiving_ _me_ like this for years. It's not like I was in love with you, or planning to spend the rest of my life with you, or something like that."

"Hermione-"

"No, really, it's fine. I haven't been hoping for ages that you might come back, or crying myself to sleep some nights, or having bloody _nightmares_ about something _that never actually happened._ You're right, _you don't owe me anything."_

I finally stopped, breathing heavy while my words hung in the air around us. We sat in silence for a moment and Ron watched me, his face a mixture of anger and guilt. "Ron," I croaked at long last. "I…I still love you, you know. More than anything. And I thought you loved me, too, but if I'm wrong-"

"Of course I love you." It was barely more than a whisper. "That's never changed. It never will. Damn it, Hermione, why do you think I did this? _For you._ I would rather you be safe and away from me than with me and in danger. It's hard, but…well, you're alive, aren't you?"

I laughed bitterly. "You and I both." He had the decency to wince at this. "You've confused me, though. I thought you said it wasn't all about me."

Ron rubbed his head. "It's really hard to explain. I wish I knew how to…well, here's the thing," he started. "The reason I left…well, like I said, to keep you safe. But you weren't the only one in danger. There are others, and if I told you why, it would put them that much closer to harm. Does that make sense?"

"I…no. Yes. But only vaguely."

"It was supposed to be vague. I can't tell you exactly why, remember?"

I nodded. "I think…I think I sort of understand…but why didn't you try to help the others? Do I know them? Is there anything I can do?"

Ron shook his head sadly. "There's nothing we can do. It's up to them. I did what I thought was safest for us, and they're handling things their way. Hermione, if there had been another way-"

"I don't know if there would have been another way," I snapped, "seeing as I don't know what the problem was in the first place."

The silence grew on us, filling the entire cottage. We didn't speak until Ron jumped at the thudding of Crookshanks climbing the stairs at top speed. "I should get going. I won't fight you over it, but I really think it'd be a good idea to do your memory."

I shook my head vigorously. "Ron, please…don't go. I'm not ready for you to leave. I can't…I can't go without seeing you now that I know…" I couldn't figure out how to tell him everything I was bursting to say. I had only scraped by at living without him because there had been no other choice. But now that I knew he was alive? There was nothing I wanted more than to crawl into his arms and stay there forever.

"Hermione, I'm sorry." He shook his head. "There's nothing else I can do. I have to go."

"Take me with you, then." Ron shot me a puzzled expression. "You faked your death, I'm sure you could do mine. And then I'd just-"

"Are you mental?" Ron exclaimed. "I can't just take you away. Everything would be in vain then."

"But I won't be in danger then," I explained. "If they think I'm dead, and they think you're dead, whoever these people are who are after you, then they won't come after us. Really, who goes after dead people?"

"It's not that simple," Ron huffed. "Hermione, if I could, I would take you with me, but that would just put you right back on their list of most wanted. Besides, what would your husband say if he came home to that?"

The smile slid from my face as reality hit me like a bucket of cold water. Ron might be alive, but there was still Charlie to think about. I loved Ron, but I couldn't stand the idea of hurting Charlie. He had done so much for me, and he cared about me, and I _did_ love him. And despite all of that, it was still tempting to throw it all out the window.

"Oh," I said finally. "Oh, I guess you're right."

"Where is he, anyway?" Ron asked, looking around as though he expected Charlie to pop out from behind a piece of furniture. "Do I get to see who the lucky guy is?"

"You-you don't know?" I was puzzled once more. "George didn't tell you?"

"He told me you were getting married," Ron said, shaking his head as he examined a picture of James and me with a small smile. "Last year, wasn't it? Said you were trying to keep it quiet, didn't want the big fuss they made over Harry and Ginny. Can't say I blame you. Is this James?"

He looked up at me and I was lost for words _again_. I wasn't sure if it was his eyes or all his questions that did it to me this time. "Um…yeah, that's James. And last year. Yeah, last May. I didn't want it all over the Prophet. Ron…I thought you were dead."

"Yeah, you were supposed-o_h_. Oh, Hermione, I'm not mad," he said quickly when he realized my way of thinking. "What right would I have to be mad? No, that was kind of the point, wasn't it? For me to get out of the way and you to go on living, safe and happy, I mean. And that's what you did."

I was stunned that he had handled it so well. Once upon a time, he might have thrown a fit if I just mentioned another guy, especially one who was interested in me. I never thought I would have seen the day that he would bless my marriage to someone else. Though, he didn't know all the details…

"Ron, I…" I didn't know how to make the words come out. The weight of the situation came crumbling down on me as stood there staring the man I'd believed to be dead until half an hour ago. I had to be careful about how I did it. The last thing I wanted was for him to leave. "I…I married Charlie." Or I could just spit it out and 'get it over with' as he had said earlier.

It took a minute for Ron to process it, or at least for his face to show that he had heard what I'd said. His polite smile had been replaced by furrowed eyebrows and a gaping mouth. I wasn't sure what to make of this reaction.

"Ron, say something," I begged. It took another minute for him to compose himself, and when he finally did, my heart broke.

"Well…I'm glad it was him."

"_What?"_

"I mean, at least I know it's someone good," he reasoned, though it looked more like he was reasoning with himself. "He takes care of you, doesn't he? I don't see how he wouldn't. He's a great-George didn't tell me that part of it," he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "Well, when did that all happen?"

"Um…about a…a year after." I couldn't take the pain in his eyes. I knew it wasn't my fault; I had thought he was dead. But it didn't make it hurt any less to see Ron in pain and to know that I had caused it, as unintentional as it might have been. "Well, we had to do a work collaboration together and…I mean, we didn't start…we didn't date until a few months after…"

Ron had walked back into my life for a brief half hour, and now he was going to leave. _Again_. Of course, it couldn't be helped. He said he wasn't mad before, but what about now? I would have been _furious_, even if it _was_ my fault.

"I'm sorry," I said. "I'm so sorry, Ron, I-" He held up a hand to stop me. It was quiet for a little longer before he spoke.

"You have nothing to be sorry about,. It's not…you were just moving on," Ron said. "You were doing exactly what you were supposed to do. You were doing what people are expected to do in that situation."

"But…" How could he be taking this so well? "But…your brother? I should have…I could have waited…picked someone else…or…I…how is it that you're not angry?"

Ron snorted. "Do you want me to be? Fine, yeah, I'm kinda pissed, but not at you. Not even at him. It's my own damn fault things are like this, and they wouldn't have been if I hadn't left, but that's something I can't help. That's just a consequence of what had to happen. And it doesn't matter if it's Charlie," he added. "It could have been a complete stranger, or Harry, or some kid who used to live next door to you, and I'd still feel the exact same way. I'd be beyond pissed that someone else gets to have you, but _I can't do anything about that_. This is exactly what I was setting you up for by leaving, and it would be cruel of me to take out the frustration of the situation on either of you. So I'm not going to."

He had stunned me one more time. Whatever this thing was that I was in danger of, whoever these people were who were coming for him, it was serious. Ron was treating every aspect the situation as one of grave magnitude, and I was starting to realize just how much trouble he was in. But what was it? What was so horrible, so threatening, that he had to take himself away from me, especially forever? What could be so dangerous that he would rather see me married to his older brother than face it?

"Ron…this is really horrible, isn't it? This…whoever or whatever you're up against." I took a few steps towards him. "It's really dangerous, isn't it?"

He nodded. "That's what I was trying to tell you. This is better. It might not seem like it, but…well, you going off with someone else while I never get to see you is much better than the alternative. You have to trust me on that."

I nodded slowly. "Okay. I do, I trust you. But what-"

"I can't tell you what it is."

"Ron, please-"

"I can't, Hermione," he repeated. "You can ask me a thousand times and I'll still say no."

We were standing almost chest to chest now. I could smell his hair, and it seemed more intoxicating than ever before. Heat radiated from his body and I shivered. It wasn't a particularly cold night, but I knew I was feel cold until I had _that_ heat, _his_ heat, against me. But that couldn't happen…I wasn't allowed to have that again.

"Where is Charlie, anyway?" Ron asked. I had a feeling he was trying to redirect our heads to where they should be instead of where this closeness was taking them.

"Romania," I said faintly, staring at the plaid on his left shoulder, "for another three weeks, at least. He had some sort of field work to do."

"You're here alone?" Ron asked. I nodded and looked up at him, which was my first mistake. My breathing stopped momentarily; it was shallow and quick when it resumed. Ron Weasley was here, in front of me, alive, looking absolutely perfect, and we were in an empty house…_No_, my brain snapped immediately._ Don't even go there. Think about Charlie…think about your husband._

"No, I can't let you just sit here on your own for three weeks," Ron blurted. "What if you go stay with George for awhile? Or Harry? You could split the time up between them, at least until Charlie gets back, and-"

"I'm a grown woman, Ron," I reminded him dryly. "I can take care of myself."

But Ron continued to shake his head. "No, do you know how easily I got here? If you've got any security spells out there, they're too weak to do any good. What if it had been someone else coming for you?"

"I'm not going to stay with Harry, or George for that matter," I laughed. "How ridiculous would that be? 'Oh, Harry, I know I'm an adult and everything, but I can't stay on my own for less than a month.' Honestly, Ron, I don't know where you get these ideas some-"

"Well then I'll stay here." I raised an eyebrow at him. "It's either that, or you go stay with someone else. No risks, not for that long."

"I thought you weren't supposed to be anywhere near me?" I asked.

"Well…I mean, it's just three weeks. No one will know I'm here. I don't even have to stay all three." His eyes lit up with this new idea. "Yeah, I'll just bum around here the next two, and then you should be okay for a week no your own-"

"I just spent an entire week on my own," I chuckled. "I'm perfectly capable-" But I stopped arguing. Why push him away? He was offering to spend two weeks with me, and there was no way I could turn that down. "Alright," I sighed. "Alright, stay for the next two weeks. You can stay all three if you'd like. I guess the company would be nice. And…I've missed you, Ron." I willed myself not to cry. "I've really, really missed you."

Ron smiled softly. "I know. Believe me, I've missed you every day since I left. I-" I heard him gulp as we both remembered the lack of space between our bodies. He took a step back and laughed shakily. "I'm knackered, though. Where would you like me to sleep?"

I couldn't help but smile. Ron was alive, and laughing awkwardly, and staying in my home for the night. For two weeks. _With me_, I nearly said. My lips had started to form the words when I bit my tongue to keep them from falling out. It would be highly inappropriate, sleeping in the same bed as my not-so-dead ex-boyfriend, the very bed I slept in with my husband, who was also the brother of said not-so-dead ex-boyfriend. No, it would not be _highly_ _inappropriate_; it would be _completely_ _inappropriate_, in every sense of the word, even if it was just literal sleeping.

"Well, we have guest bedroom," I offered. "It's on the other side of the bathroom." I pointed up stairs. "See, there's my room, the bathroom, the guest room…"

Ron looked over his shoulder. "Perfect. I'll, er, retire now, I guess. Been a long day."

"Alright. Oh, I still get up for work at the usual time," I called as he started to ascend the stairs. "So if you hear me, or you wake up and I'm not here, you know."

He nodded and looked back at me with a smile. _It's not too late to ask him to stay with you-No! No, he's staying in the guest room._ My mind continued to battle until he was in the guest room and out of sight.

I ran my fingers through my hair as emotions ran wild through me. I hadn't been this happy in ages. I think I had even forgotten what true happiness felt like by that point. _And he'll be here tomorrow,_ I couldn't help but think. _He'll be here when you wake up in the morning. He'll be here for two whole weeks, alive and well._

With those last few positive thoughts, I pranced up the stairs, eager to get my night of sleep over with.

* * *

><p><em>Maybe in five or ten yours and mine will meet again,<em>  
><em>Straighten this whole thing out.<br>Maybe then honesty need not be feared as a friend or an enemy.  
>But this is the distance,<br>And this is my gameface._

* * *

><p>AN: I found this song last minute, and I love it for this. Now go tell me how much you love it or hate it. That's right, I don't even care if you hate the story. Just don't expect me to change it to suit you. :D I don't know when I'll update again...but hopefully within the week...Until then!


	8. It's Been Going On For So Long

A/N: Guess what? Two of my favorites are coming to play!

And some of you are really smart cookies! I mean, I'm sure you're all smart cookies, but some of you have extra smart chips baked into you.

I found a really good song, though, guys! I'll be using it in a chapter or two. IT'S SO GOOD.

But for now, let's get back to Ron, Hermione, and the empty house of raging hormones.

P.S.-Apologize by 33 Miles for this chapter. 'Tis a fantastic song.

* * *

><p><em>I thought I would never let go,<em>  
><em>Never thought I could know what it's like<em>  
><em>To wake up holding what I gave up<em>  
><em>After all this time, still trying to find<em>  
><em>What it is to forgive, even when it isn't that easy.<em>

* * *

><p>"No…no, don't…come back…please, not again…please, no…no, come back…Ron…Ron, come back…come back…Ron…"<p>

"Shh…it's okay, I'm here…"

"Ron…come back…Ron…"

"I'm here, I'm back. Everything's alright. Wake up, Hermione. It's okay now, I'm here."

I rolled my eyelids back groggily to find Ron standing over me, wiping hair out of my face with a soft expression on his face. It took me a minute to remember that this wasn't a dream. He was really, truly there. The second I remembered, I flung my arms around his neck and pressed my face into his chest.

"Oh, Hermione, it's okay now," he soothed as he sat on the edge of the bed and pulled me into his lap. "I'm back, remember?"

"You are," I choked through my sobs. "You really are. Oh, Merlin, it was _horrible_…"

I clutched onto the back of his shirt with both my hands. I felt like if I wasn't careful, if I didn't hold on tight enough, he would just disappear into thin air. I couldn't handle losing him again. Seeing it in my dreams was bad enough.

Ron stroked my hair with one hand and rubbed my back with the other as he pressed his cheek to my head. "It's alright, Hermione," he whispered. "It was just a bad dream. I'm here."

My sobs gradually fewer and far between over the next few minutes until they stopped altogether. I still held onto him for dear life. "I'm sorry," I mumbled into his chest. "You shouldn't have had to deal with that."

"S'okay," Ron murmured. "Do you have them often? Those dreams, I mean."

"Sometimes." I finally released the handfuls of shirt and slid my arms around his middle. He snuggled me even closer to his warm body. "I used to have them all the time. Remember the ones I used to have about Malfoy Manor? They're like that. I used to have them almost every night after…well, for a couple months after you left. They've gotten better; I only have one or two a week now."

"_Only?"_ Ron scoffed. "That's horrible. Do you always have to be woken up from them?"

"Usually." I was completely calm now. The nightmare was over, and for once, I wasn't waking up from one only to find another. It was much more soothing to know that Ron was here, that he was okay, instead of waking up to find that my bad dreams were, in fact, reality. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply, mesmerized by his scent. I had missed the smell of Ron, and I was glad that it hadn't changed in the slightest.

"Oh, Hermione," Ron sighed. "I'm so sorry. You shouldn't be having these nightmares. It's not right."

"I've learned to deal." He pushed my chin up so he could look at me. He looked tired and worried.

"You shouldn't have to deal," he said quietly. "It shouldn't be something you have to worry about."

"No," I said. "You're right, it shouldn't be. But it is, and I'm doing my best. And they've improved, Ron, they really have. It's just a matter of time before they're gone for good."

He didn't look convinced. "Maybe you should see somebody. What are those Muggle things, seekatrysts?"

"Psychiatrists?"

"Yeah, that. Why don't you go to one of those? If you talk about it, it might…well, go away."

I giggled. "Yes, Ron, I'll go and tell a _Muggle_ all about the _wizarding_ _war_ I was involved in and see if he can help me out."

Ron chuckled. "Oh, I didn't think of that. Maybe there's some sort of wizard equivalent somewhere. Especially after the war, you'd think that's something St. Mungo's would have thought of."

"You'd think so, wouldn't you? No, I don't need to talk to anyone. It's fine, really…" I yawned loudly. "What time is it?"

"Nearly three," Ron informed me after a quick glance at the bedside clock. "You ought to get back to bed. Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'll be alright," I assured him. "Really, I never have more than one. I'll be out until work tomorrow."

"Well, if you're sure…" Suddenly, I was cold and alone. Ron had slipped me back onto the bed and was making his way to the door. "I'll leave this open, just incase. Good night, Her-"

"Wait." Ron turned around quickly, concern all over his face. "Stay with me. Please. I…just incase. Just for tonight."

He hesitated before nodding. "Okay. Just tonight…I'll stay."

One night was better than nothing. As soon as he reached the side of the bed, I held out my arms for him. In a matter of seconds, he was wrapped tightly in them and we were lying comfortably under the blankets. We were so close I could _feel_ him breathing better than I could _hear_ it. My fingers played with the ends of his hair, twirling them again and again. His eyes were settled on my face, flicking back and forth from feature to feature as I did the same to him. It was still sinking in that he was really there, with me, just like it used to be. Well, nearly like it used to be.

My eyes started to droop. I forced them to open as widely as possible, only for them to droop again…and again…and again. "You should go to sleep," Ron whispered. "You're tired. I can see it in your eyes."

"Mm….but then I can't look at you…do you know what a waste of time sleeping would be when I could be looking at you?" I pulled my hand from behind his neck and ran my fingertips along his jaw.

Ron closed his eyes and sighed contentedly. "I'll be here for a few days, remember? You'll have plenty of time to look at me."

I frowned. "That's what I thought before. I thought I would have all the time in the world to look at you, and we know how that turned out."

His eyes snapped open at that. "Hermione, go to sleep. You have work in the morning." I sighed heavily and decided to give in to my droopy eyes. Work seemed trivial when I knew what would be waiting for me here.

"Fine. I'm sleeping, I'm sleeping."

I felt his face rest a few inches away from mine on the pillow just before he yawned. "Good. Sweet dreams, 'Mione."

I chuckled softly. "Sweet dreams, Ronald."

* * *

><p>My alarm was much too loud. I had never realized just how obnoxious it could be until this morning. I winced against the bit of sun that was already up, forcing itself through the window so brightly that it disrupted me before I even opened my eyes. I felt around for the snooze button and rolled over, bumping into Charlie. I buried my face against his chest and pulled him close. It wasn't until he sighed and pulled me closer that I remembered that Charlie was supposed to be in Romania…<p>

I opened my eyes quickly to see the face of my companion. Ron was snoring lightly with a peaceful look on his face. I breathed a sigh of relief and I saw the corner of his mouth start to tug into one of his crooked smiles. The night before came flooding back to me in an instant and I couldn't help but smile as my mind relived it. Unable to help myself, I reached up and brushed a few strands of his ginger hair away from his eyes. A moment later they pulled themselves open lazily; he followed this breathtaking motion with a fuller version of his crooked smile.

"Hi."

I smiled back. "Hi."

"You didn't have another bad dream last night, did you?" he asked with concern. I shook my head no, still smiling. "Good. What time is it?"

"A quarter to eight," I sighed. "I have to get up…I hate work."

"What? I thought you loved your job," Ron said incredulously.

"I did. I _do_. It's this Goblin strike. It's like it's never going to end, and that's all the department cares about right now. I was making such progress with S.P.E.W. before this all started, too."

"What a shame," Ron yawned. "You'll have to tell me all about it later."

I rolled over and propped myself up on my elbows, looking down at him. The way the sunlight was hitting his hair reminded me of fire. His eyes, even though they were squinted, sparkled back the bits of light that managed to make their way between his eyelids. I was having a very difficult time keeping my hands off of him.

"You don't care about S.P.E.W.," I laughed. "It's okay, I won't bore you with all my talk of house elves and-"

"No, I want to hear it," Ron insisted. "I just want to know what you've been up to, to be honest."

My face was growing hotter. It was amazing how he could still have such a strange effect on me. "Well," I said as I tried to keep myself under control. "Well, I'll be late for work if I told you everything. Speaking of, I need a shower."

Regretfully, I rolled out of bed and started searching for an outfit. Ron just rolled over and yawned again. "Then tell me when you get home."

I paused. Of course! He would still be there when I came home. It was the best feeling I'd had in years; having him here with me, knowing he would be waiting for me to come back…I didn't have to pretend there was a good reason for me to go home after work. It was now a reality.

I kept my back to the bed so there would be no chance of him seeing my beaming smile. "Yes, of course. I'll just tell you all about it tonight."

I spent my shower convincing myself that this really wasn't a dream, that I wasn't going to wake up to find him gone like I had so many times before. It had been one thing to see him at night, when those kinds of thoughts enter your mind anyway, but to see him in the daylight was a totally new experience. I rushed through my hair and makeup, eager to get back to Ron, but when I returned to my room, he wasn't there.

"Ron?" I called. "Ron, where-"

"Downstairs!" Relief drained the panic out of my body and I headed for the same place he had minutes ago.

"Where are you going?" I asked. He was bent over, tying his shoes when I found him on the couch.

"Just back to get some clothes," Ron finished as he stood up to face me. "What? You'll be at work anyway. I'm coming back, Hermione." I frowned. "Really, Hermione, do you think I'd just take off without even _trying_ to wipe your memory?"

I put my hands on my head defensively, even though I knew it wouldn't do anything. "Don't you-"

"Dare touch your memory. I won't." He sighed. "It'd make things easier, though, if you'd just-"

"Have you done this before?" I asked suddenly. Ron raised his eyebrow in question. "I mean, have you…have you seen me since? Have you seen me since you left, and just…did you wipe my memory before?"

The thought that Ron could just show up and leave when he wanted and make me forget it all broke my heart into pieces. I was overwhelmed with joy when he shook his head. "No, no, this hasn't happened before. I mean, I saw you a few times-"

"You've seen me?"

"From a distance," Ron added. "And I was in disguise, so you wouldn't have recognized me even if you'd looked right at me. It wasn't intentional, either. I was supposed to go see George once, and I saw you in the shop, so I kept walking. Another time, you were getting ice cream with Harry. That was rough, that day was. It took all my strength not to-"

"Don't," I snapped. Ron stopped immediately and frowned. "Don't tell me about how hard it's been for you. You're the one who made it that way. We didn't get to decide."

Ron looked away guiltily and nodded. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Sorry. But it doesn't mean I haven't missed you guys." He sighed and checked his watch. "Well, you'd better be off. I'll see you later tonight."

"I get off at five," I said as I smiled again. I couldn't waste time being mad at him when we had so little of it. "I'll be back not long after."

Ron smiled. "I'll be waiting." With that thought in mind, the two of us walked outside and apparated our separate ways.

* * *

><p>"Erm, Hermione, are you okay?"<p>

I chuckled and shook my head. "I'm fine, Harry, why?"

Harry was staring at me as though I had just told him it had rained purple gumdrops that morning. "You just…you look really…" I stopped walking towards him and gave him a quizzical look. "Happy. Like, really, _really_ _happy_. The kind of abnormal happy that makes most people nauseous. And for someone whose husband is going to be gone for a few weeks, and just lost their cat-"

I laughed. "Oh, Harry, I'm sorry, I forgot. Crookshanks showed up last night!"

Harry smiled. "Oh, so _that's_ what happened? Your little ginger boyfriend found his way back?"

I smiled widely at his choice of words. "That is exactly what happened. Oh, tell George for me, will you? I think you'll see him before I do, and I don't have time to owl him today." Though this was true, the only reason Harry would see him first was because I wasn't going to be going anywhere near him for awhile. I couldn't think about confronting him right now, with everything so fresh in my mind. I needed to think before I asked him about what he had done. "Come on, though, or we'll be back from lunch late." I slid my arm under his and guided him away from his desk. "I thought about having the ribs again today, but I think it might be more of a fish and chips kind of day. What were you thinking, Harry?"

Harry stared at me for a few seconds and then laughed loudly. "Hermione, are you sure you're okay? You're very…"

"Very?" I provoked.

"Boisterous, exuberant…"

"I'm just glad Crookshanks is back," I said a bit uneasily, but he didn't catch on. It was tearing me apart to not take the afternoon off and run home. It was proving to be even more difficult to resist the urge to tell Harry what really had me in such a great mood.

"If you say so," Harry sighed as he shook his head. "Oh, wait, I forgot my wallet. Hang on, it's in my briefcase."

He doubled back and I waited in the corridor between cubicles where we had stopped. I smiled at Neville, who was making his way out to lunch as well. "Neville, I haven't seen you in weeks. You should go for lunch with us," I suggested as I gave him a warm hug.

"I would," he said as he pulled back. "I would really love to, but I promised Hannah I'd meet her today. She owled me this morning, insisting that she had to see me." I smiled again when he told me this. Neville and Hannah had been married for two and a half years, and they were the absolutely most adorable couple I knew. Their relationship seemed to be characterized by mutual worshiping of the ground the other walked upon. "You look pretty chipper today. What's going on?"

I shrugged and tried to reign in some of my cheeriness. "Nothing much. Charlie's in Romania, so I've been on my own for a few days."

Neville looked puzzled. "Uh...but you're so...I dunno. You seem really peppy, but that doesn't seem to be much cause for celebration. Unless, of course, you've got that old-married-couple complex going at the moment."

I shook my head and chuckled. "No, no. I'm usually this peppy, aren't I? Oh, don't give me that look," I whined when he nearly laughed in my face. "Really, it's not _that_ much different from normal, is it?"

"Whatever you say, Hermione."

"Are you sure you don't want to go with us? Hannah can come, too! I haven't seen her in a long time."

Neville shook his head again. "Sorry, I would bring her along, but she seemed pretty...well, I don't know. I think something's bothering her. I want to make sure she's alright, and it might be hard to really check on her if you guys were there. No offense."

"None taken. Oh, alright, I'll let it slide this time," I said seriously, pointing my finger at him. "But pretty soon, the three of us are going to out together, you hear?"

"Yes, ma'am," Neville snickered. "I'll see you around, Hermione."

"See you later, Neville," I called over my shoulder as Harry rejoined me. "Are you all put together now?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm good." He shoved his wallet into his back pocket and opened the office door for me. "I was thinking about a burger, but maybe-oh, watch it." He threw his arm in front of me just before I could collide with the person who had suddenly appeared around the corner we were just rounding. Draco Malfoy stopped, looking back and forth between Harry and me. "Hello, Draco," Harry said awkwardly.

Draco decided to ignore me and settled his eyes on Harry. "Potter, I need to talk to you."

"Oh." Harry didn't bother to hide his shock. "Um, alright then. Well, you can walk with me and Hermione on our-"

"I need to speak with you in your office," Malfoy interrupted. I could feel my eyebrows rising up. I glanced at Harry; he, too, appeared to be confused.

"Well, can't it wait until my lunch break is over? I don't really have that long."

"I'd rather not wait. It's extremely urgent."

I sighed and tried my best not to become frustrated. I was starving, and here Malfoy was ruining my good mood while my stomach growled.

Harry didn't seem to be too concerned with whatever Malfoy had to say, either. "Look, why don't you come by after-"

"It's about that case," Malfoy hissed at him. I was briefly reminded of how he had looked back at the beginning of the war: desperate and afraid.

I was going to tell him that if it had to do with work, it could wait until after Harry's lunch break, but one look at Harry told me I should leave it be. He suddenly seemed to be taking Malfoy seriously. "What case?" I asked Harry, but he didn't answer me.

"Alright, let's go talk. Hermione, I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to cancel on you."

"Harry, what-"

"Do you think you could pick something up for me?" he asked quickly.

"Yes, but-"

"I'll just have the burger then." Harry motioned for Malfoy to follow him and they disappeared into the office. I stood in place for a minute, trying to make sense of what had just happened. Harry working on a case with Malfoy, who wasn't working anywhere near the Auror department, was out of the ordinary on many levels. I decided to go to Ruben's and get our food, hoping that they wouldn't have finished their chat by the time I got back.

Karen was very pleased to see me and commented on my good mood. She, Neville, and Harry hadn't been the only ones. Everyone in my department had noticed my sudden change in mood. I kept our conversation brief and ate while I waited for Harry's lunch to be ready. As soon as it was up, I took off. I felt like I was going to explode with impatience. I was dying to know what Harry and Malfoy were talking about, while still counting down the minutes until I would see Ron again.

By the time I reached Harry's office, Malfoy was gone. Harry was sitting at his desk, massaging his temples. He didn't realize I was there and jumped when I dropped the carry out bag in front of him.

"What was that all about?" I asked.

Harry peered into the bag and shook his head. "Nothing you need to worry about. I just had to get some information from Malfoy."

"I wasn't aware that he was working so closely with the Auror department."

"Damn it, Hermione," Harry growled. "I wasn't aware that you were, either." He bit his bottom lip and looked at me sheepishly. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean that. I'm just stressed. Look, if it was something worth worrying about, I would let you know. You know that."

I crossed my arms. "So this case Malfoy was talking about…it's nothing major, is it?"

Harry searched for words while I watched him unload the contents of his takeout bag. "At the moment, it's not a major case."

"_At the moment?"_ I nearly screeched. "What does that mean?"

"Hermione, really," Harry said between bites of his burger. "It's an old case. We're just…well…"

"Yes?"

"We're…tying up loose ends. So to speak." We sat in silence while I watched him eat, disapproval written all over my face. "_What_?" Harry asked.

I shook my head at him. "You worry me, Harry."

"There's no reason to worry," Harry said impatiently. "Hermione, if this case turns out to be something major, I will tell you all about it, I promise. Don't waste your time, though. It's really not a big deal."

"Fine," I agreed. "But I'm not happy about it. Maybe I'll transfer to your department." Harry laughed, though I couldn't blame him. I didn't want to fight for the rest of my life. "My break is just about over," I commented as I checked the clock on the wall. "I'd best be going. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? Why not come over for dinner tonight?"

I had to restrain the words that were dying to get out. "I-I'm busy."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "Busy?"

"Yes, busy," I repeated. "I've got some work to do tonight, and I just want to relax after the incident with Crookshanks."

"Alright, but you've got to come over sometime this week," Harry insisted. "James is already dying to see you again. He asked where you were all day yesterday."

"I'll stop by for James the first free night I get," I promised, not bothering to mention that this wouldn't be happening for another two weeks.

"Sounds good, just let me know when." Harry turned back to his desk and pulled out some papers, which I took as my cue to leave. I said hello to Neville, who I noticed looked a bit down. Sadly, I didn't have enough time on my break to figure out why. I spent the next few hours watching the clock, which I could have sworn had been jinxed to go twice as slow as it usual. Every minute that ticked away was a minute closer to seeing Ron again…

It was hard to get much work done because my mind was everywhere. What if I went home and he had decided not to return? I couldn't take losing him so abruptly again. This thought stayed at the front of my mind for the last two hours at work. What once was excitement turned to anxiety, and it continued to mount until the moment I packed up and made my way to the fireplaces.

As soon as I stumbled out of my fireplace and into the living room, I let out a long, shaky breath. Ron looked up from his paper and smiled. I could feel every bit of my insides squirming as they melted under his gaze. I wasted no time in joining him on the couch and leaning against his shoulder. "What are you reading?"

"Just Quidditch recaps," he said lazily as he flipped the page. "Cannons didn't finish too badly this year."

"I know, fifth in the league. It's definitely an improvement from tenth last year." Ron looked down at me in surprise. "I've been following them since you left," I told him quietly. Ron smiled.

"I thought you hated Quidditch."

"I don't hate it. I just don't love it. And I thought _someone_ out to be able to keep up with them, and since you seemed to be one of their few and far between fans, I had to step in."

Ron laughed and put his arm around my shoulders. My heart skipped a few beats. "Well, their fan base is probably growing now. Hopefully they do even better next year."

"I won't hold my breath," I giggled. "But, yes, hopefully they will."

Ron folded up his paper and threw it next to his feet, which were rested on the coffee table. "So how was work?"

I told him how boring my day had been, and how I had only been able to think about coming home. I also shared with him all the things I had done in the past few years, from the dragon breeding regulations (which I skimmed over quickly; I didn't want to think about Charlie at a moment like this), S.P.E.W., giant treaties, centaur relations, and the ongoing Goblin strike. It all took about an hour to tell, and Ron listened intensely the entire time. I was positively starving by the time I finished; I knew Ron would be hungry as well.

"What should we have to eat?" I asked as I walked into the kitchen with Ron in tow. "I don't know what exactly we have. Charlie usually stocks the fridge, and he didn't do much shopping before he left." I peered into the fridge and Ron opened the freezer above me. We stood there searching for a minute or so before Ron gasped.

"You have frozen pizza?"

"I guess so. Is that what you want?"

"Yeah!" I stood after he had closed the freezer and set the oven while he tore apart the cardboard box. "I can't believe you have these. We used to eat them all the time, remember?"

"I still don't understand how you can like them better than delivered pizza." Ron simply shrugged.

We spent the rest of the evening talking about all the products Ron had helped George develop. I was surprised to find out he'd had a key part in developing some of my favorites.

"Oh my gosh…it's so late," I gasped when I saw it was eleven thirty. "I have to get to bed. What are you going to do all by yourself tomorrow?"

Ron shrugged. "Maybe read some of your books and watch some movies. You'll have to show me how the disc thingy works though. I just got used to video tapes and then they went and changed it. Muggles," he muttered, shaking his head.

I nodded. "I'll show you in the morning," I yawned. "I'm going to go up, though."

"I think I will, too," Ron said, stretching. "It's past my bedtime."

I pulled him up from the couch and we walked up the stairs hand in hand. "Well, goodnight, Hermione." Ron kept walking towards the guest room, but I pulled on his hand and he turned to face me.

"Will you stay again?" He looked uneasy. "Ron, please, just incase I…will you stay with me?"

He sighed. "Just give me a minute, I need to change."

"You don't have to if you don't want to."

Suddenly, we were face to face. "I'll stay with you. If you want me to stay with you, if it will make you feel better, then I will."

I closed my eyes so I wouldn't have to be tempted any longer and nodded. "It would make me feel so much better."

"Alright, just give me a minute."

I opened my eyes after I heard the guest door close and moved to do the same. I pulled on some shorts and an old t-shirt before hopping into bed and closing my eyes. I heard Ron come in and turn out the lights. The other side of the bed creaked while he adjusted himself, and then it was quiet. I opened my eyes to find him lying with his back to me, nearly on the edge of the bed.

"There's plenty of room, you know," I said cautiously.

"I don't trust myself."

"You don't trust yourself with what?"

Ron rolled over and stared at the wall behind me. "Hermione, you drive me crazy. Sleeping in the same bed as you is like some sick form of torture. I don't trust myself to do the right thing."

"The right thing? Ron, what are you talking about?"

With a great sigh, he looked at me. "My mind keeps going back to the way things used to be. When there was an _us_, remember? But I can't think like that, and being in the same bed as you doesn't exactly make that any easier. I don't trust myself to keep away from you."

I frowned. "What makes you so sure I want you to keep away from me?" Ron's face turned fierce and his eyes looked icy. "I mean, I miss the way things used to be. Ron, I was in love with you. Those feelings don't just disappear. After all these years, you can't possibly think I don't still-"

"But you weren't married to my brother then." His words hit me like the Knight Bus going full speed. "It was different when we were in school, and we liked each other, and there was no one else to think about. But it's different now. I have to control myself. And no matter how differently or similar you feel now, you have to control yourself, too. I won't-I _can't_ do that to Charlie."

He was right. Before, it had just been the two of us. Control wasn't an issue if we were the only ones who could get hurt. Now, there was someone else involved. I loved Charlie. The last thing I wanted was to betray him. Yet, as I stared into Ron's eyes, despite their iciness, I still wanted nothing more than to scoot into his arms kiss him until my dying day. How could I love two people so much? How could I want to hurt and protect one of them all at the same time?

"I guess you're right," I finally said. "You're absolutely right about Charlie. I…I can't hurt him. That would be more than wrong. But we've done this before, Ron. We danced around each other for years without…well…_being involved_. I'm just saying you don't have to fall off the bed to control yourself."

Ron continued to look at me skeptically as he moved a little closer to the center of the bed-a little closer to me. "Alright. But I'm not moving any further than this." He grabbed one of his pillows and put it between us.

I giggled. "Fair enough. Good night, Ron."

"Good night, Hermione."

He turned his back to me again and I fought the urge to cry. I missed him in more ways than I could count. If I could just feel him, just hold his hand, or play with his hair, or spoon against his back, or turn him over and kiss him-

I understood what he meant about self control. It was becoming increasingly difficult to watch him. Seeing him there, just inches away from me when we had been separated by the grave for years (or so I'd thought), it felt so wrong to not make the most of the situation and reach out for him. But then, there was Charlie, and when I thought of it like that, what I wanted was the most repulsive thing in the world. No, hurting Charlie was not an option, even if it was Ron…even if I still loved him in more ways than I could love anybody else.

I copied Ron and turned over to my other side. It was suddenly easier to breathe properly without the desire of my affections lying there in front of my eyes. The more I thought about it, the easier it seemed to be able to resist the nagging thoughts in the back of my mind. I thought about the years when it didn't matter. It seemed like a lifetime ago that we had been in school together. We had been very obvious about our feelings for each other, and yet nothing had happened.

It occurred to me that if we had been able to spend nearly four years wrapped in our own sexual tension and done nothing about it when we had so badly wanted to, it should be a piece of cake to survive it for two weeks when we _didn't_ want to do anything about it.

"Hermione?"

I took a deep breath. Okay, so maybe it was easier when Ron wasn't saying my name so sweetly…

"Yes, Ron?"

"I know it doesn't just disappear."

"What doesn't just disappear?"

"I'm still in love with you, too."

I closed my eyes tightly and willed myself not to move. I tried to think of the right way to respond, but the words just wouldn't come to me.

"And I'm sorry about all of this. If I could take it back, or if there had been another way, I would have done it. But I did all of this because I love you more than anything, and...well, I just thought you deserved to know."

I couldn't take it anymore. I rolled over to find that he was already facing me again. He looked so…lost.

"I know," I said finally. I laid my hand across the pillow and he watched cautiously. "Thank you for staying with me."

Ron looked away from my hand and up at my face. "Anything for you, Hermione."

I closed my eyes, unable to take looking at him any longer. No, this wouldn't be so bad. I could take lying here with Ron every night…as long as he wasn't talking…and as long as I wasn't looking at him.

I felt something graze my hand and jumped slightly. I opened my eyes just in time to see Ron lacing his fingers with mine, a small smile on his face. He closed his eyes and I looked down at the pillow, where our hands were joined. I shut my eyes immediately.

This was going to be harder than I'd originally thought.

* * *

><p><em>I don't want to leave it, bury it and forget.<em>  
><em>I've already wasted so much time.<em>  
><em>Can't wait another moment, am I all out of chances<em>  
><em>For you to believe it's on my mind?<em>  
><em>I've gotta let go of my pride and apologize.<em>

* * *

><p>AN: So, the song is kinda slow, which is not the tone I wanted to set for this chapter, but the lyrics were too good to pass up. I heard it on my iTunes and was like, "If I don't use it this chapter, I don't know when it's gonna happen," so...it made the cut!

I'm attempting to write smut, btw. Dunno when that's gonna come about, though. Question is...who will it be? Hermione and Ron? Hermione and Charlie? Harry and Ginny? Harry and Draco (roflol jk)? George and Angelina? YOU'LL NEVER GUESS! Okay, maybe you will, because it's one of the couples listed (I'm joking about the Drarry, though...)

Also, keep an eye out for a one shot (possibly two part story?) coming maybe this week. It has no connection to this fic, but I've been working on it for awhile. It's just fluff about baby Rose. D'awww. I'm branching out.

Maybe the new chapter around Friday? I've been writing a lot of other parts while working on this chapter, which is partly why it took so long. We'll see, though. Take care until then!

P.S.-That review button is there for a reason...just sayin'...;)


	9. In the Shadow Of Your Heart

A/N: Well, between exams, Pottermore (I'm in Slytherin, btw), and just life in general…it took awhile. Sorry. But I had to regroup my outline; and I wanted to make this good.

Song is _Cosmic Love_ by Florence and the Machine

I give you…SMUT! Followed by things that I hope the smut makes up for.

* * *

><p><em>I took the stars from my eyes, and then I made a map<em>_.__  
><em>_And knew that somehow,  
><em>_I could find my way back._

_Then I heard your heart beating,  
><em>_You were in the darkness, too__.  
><em>_So I stayed in the darkness with you_.

* * *

><p>The next morning, I showed Ron how to work the DVD player and headed off to work. As much as I loved being around him, the fact that I couldn't have him was becoming too much for me to handle at times. I kept to myself most of the day. I wanted so badly to snoop around Harry's office and figure out what was going on, and why Malfoy, of all people, was helping him. However, I didn't trust myself to keep my mouth shut about Ron for very long if I was around Harry, and then we would have a real incident on our hands. Sadly, I declined his invitation to lunch that afternoon and ate alone as I prepared for the Goblin negotiations coming up on Friday.<p>

I wasn't sure how I felt about going home that night. Of course I was ecstatic that Ron would be there. That hadn't changed. It was simply the fear of what might happen or not happen that had me on edge. What if something happened between us and he left? Yet, not being able to touch him was almost just as painful.

I chose to apparate home that day. I threw my briefcase at the end of my bed and changed into sweats before heading downstairs. A sweet aroma was drifting in from the kitchen. The abandoned TV was playing _50 First Dates_. I picked up the remote and turned up the volume a bit before settling down on the couch. "Why'd you leave this on if you're not going to watch it?" I asked loudly.

"This is my third time watching it," Ron called from the kitchen.

"You do realize there are more movies, right? Or did you forget how to work the player?"

"No, I just really like it."

I shook my head at his typical Ron-ness and got up in search of the source of the divine smells moving through the house. I found them in the kitchen with Ron, who was one of the best cooks I knew. "Whatever you're making smells amazing."

"It's just spaghetti," Ron said. "I'm trying this new sauce, though. Not really sure how it's gonna turn out, but apparently, it smells fantastic."

Unable to help myself, I wrapped my arms around him and pressed my face into his back. "You smell pretty good, too." His body felt warm and soft. I realized that we were both wearing far too many clothes.

"Hermione," Ron said warningly. I dropped my arms back to my sides. "It's not that I don't trust you, but-"

"I know," I sighed. "But you probably shouldn't trust me anyway." I walked away to the fridge and pulled out a soda. "How long until dinner's ready?"

"Just a few more minutes. Pretty much as soon as the sauce is done. How was work?"

"Boring," I huffed. "I didn't even get to see much of Harry."

Ron turned away from the stove with a frown on his face. It was quite obvious he had been missing his best friend. Any suspicions I'd had about Harry being involved, however small they had been, were extinguished. "How is Harry these days?"

"Good," I said. "Really excellent. There are rumors the head of his department is retiring soon. He's the most likely to get the spot, but I don't think he believes that. You know how humble Harry can get with things like that. And you know he's got James, and he and Ginny are expecting another."

Ron smiled. "Another baby? Wow, that sounds great. I'm glad he's alright. And Ginny? How is she?"

I shrugged. "She's fine. She writes for the Prophet now. Quidditch commentaries. Of course, she had to stop playing professionally after she fell pregnant with James. You knew that, right? That she played for the Holyheads? She loves being able to stay home with James now, though. She's really excited that the season's ending just for that."

"That's great. That's really fantastic." I couldn't help but notice the light sourness in his voice. I must have shown this, because he smiled at me a bit too widely. "I'm fine. Really, I think that's fantastic. It was really for the best that Mum stayed home with us, and it'll be good for James. And the new baby. Blimey, another baby. I bet you Harry has at least five. Hermione, stop looking at me like that. _I'm fine."_

"You're sure?" I said hesitantly. "It won't bother you if I talk about Harry?"

Ron shook his head. "No, I promise, it won't. Sure, I miss him, but I want to know all about what's going on with him. You know, since I can't be there to see for myself." I gave him another skeptical look. "Hermione, you worry too much. Now come taste this sauce and tell me what you think.

"Alright, but it had better be good, because I'm starving."

* * *

><p>For the rest of the week, I hurried home from work every night. On Friday, the negotiations meeting went so well that I got off early. Just like every other night, I pulled out album after album and showed Ron all of his nephews and nieces, naming them off and telling stories. I especially enjoyed telling him about James and Fred, who had already had as many mischievous moments at one year old as we'd had adventures by the time we were seventeen. Ron agreed that they would have easily given Fred and George some serious competition.<p>

Whenever Harry came up, which was often, Ron made a point of telling me not to tell Harry a thing about him being alive.

"Ron, really, I won't," I said Saturday night as we washed the dishes that had piled up over the week. "I don't know if he'd make it through that conversation without a heart attack. Besides, he'd probably be angrier than me, and I really don't want to endure his wrath on my own, especially when none of it's my fault."

"Good," Ron said. "At least I know you have incentive."

Of course, even if I had wanted to tell him, it wouldn't have mattered. I hadn't seen Harry at all since I had told him I couldn't eat lunch with him, and I didn't see him again until the following Wednesday. I had just returned from lunch early (I had gone home to eat with Ron, who insisted I hurry back so I wouldn't get into trouble for being late) when Harry trudged through the door.

"Harry! I haven't seen you in about a week! How have-oh no." I took one look at his face and knew that something was bothering him. "Harry, what's wrong?"

Harry looked around and pulled a chair next to mine. "I need your help."

"This wouldn't happen to have to do with the case you were talking to Malfoy about, would it?" Harry pursed his lips and I had my answer. "Oh, good, you're finally going to fill me in. What's all this business-"

"Forget it," Harry said suddenly. "Forget I mentioned it. How have you-"

"You can't do that!" I cried. "You can't dangle something in front of me and then snatch it back! Harry, you know I'm dying to know." Harry shook his head. "Why the sudden change of heart? You seemed ready for me to help you a minute ago." He stared at the carpet for a few moments. I reached out and put my hand over his. "Harry, what's going on? It's obviously troubling you, whatever it is."

He cleared his throat and hesitated. "Ron would kill me if I told you."

Now, I was intrigued. "Well, lucky for you he's not around. Spill." Harry's head snapped up at me. He looked as though I'd just insulted his mother. My eyes widened as I realized what I had just said. "Harry, you know that's not how I meant it."

"I can't believe you said that."

"Harry, I'm sorry. I didn't mean-"

"What the hell has gotten into you?" Harry asked, still shocked. "If anyone else would have said that, I'd have thought you'd burst into tears."

"I just meant that you can tell me," I whined. Being around Ron had made me much less sensitive and thoughtful about the things I said, especially when it came to him. It was hard to be sad about his supposed death when I knew I'd be seeing him in a matter of hours. "Please, why wouldn't he want you to?"

"He wouldn't want me to get you involved with all of this dangerous work. It's not exactly sunshine and rainbows in the Auror department, you know."

"Harry, you've told me all about all your other cases."

"This one's different."

He was starting to sound like Ron. "I can handle it."

Harry considered me for a minute and sighed. "Alright, but I'll have to do this outside the office." He looked around at my coworkers, who were now returning from their breaks. "How about I come by tonight?"

"No," I said too quickly. Harry gave me another puzzled look. "No, today's not good. I've got some errands to run."

"I'll just come by tomorrow then."

"No, no, I'm pretty busy this week," I lied. I couldn't even begin to imagine the horrors that would result in Harry turning up at my place while Ron was there, especially if it was to tell me about something Ron wouldn't approve of me hearing about. "Well, we'll figure something out. I've got to hear this before my curiosity kills me."

"Well, we could do lunch tomorrow."

"I'm pretty booked for lunch this week."

"Are you okay, Hermione?" Harry asked. "You've been acting pretty strangely the past few times I've seen you."

"I couldn't be better," I told him quite honestly. "Everything is fine. More than fine, actually. It's fantastic."

"If you say so. Well, I'm just going to-" He stopped and grinned. "Hermione, when you say more than fine-"

"Just that things are going well, that's all I meant," I mumbled.

Harry leaned closer to my ear. "Are you pregnant?"

"What?" I shrieked. Harry jumped and leaned away from me. "Oh, sorry. No, I'm not. What would make you think that?"

"Well, you said you and Charlie wanted to start trying. And you said things were fantastic, and more than fine, so I thought, maybe you'd be…er, been successful." He flushed a little as he said this.

I giggled. "No, Harry, we haven't been successful. I'm still on the pill."

"That might interfere, you know."

"I do. I just wanted to finish out the month so my cycle would stay regular, and we would have a much easier time conceiving if I knew exactly when I was ovulating."

"And that's more than I needed to know about your lady parts, thank you."

"Lady parts?" I giggled. "You sound like Ron." Harry smiled sadly and looked away from me. It was killing me to keep all these secrets from him. I literally had to bite my tongue to hold it in.

"I guess. I've gotta get back to my desk, though. I'll owl you about talking. Since you're suddenly so busy." He shook his head at me and left. I took a deep breath, inwardly celebrating that I had survived another encounter without letting the cat out of the bag.

Harry wasn't the only one I had a hard time keeping things from. Whenever Charlie called, I had to do my best to keep my voice calm, even sad and lonely if I could manage it. I was none of those three in reality, so it took quite a bit of acting and convincing on my part.

"I really miss you. I might be able to get done early," Charlie told me Wednesday night.

"Early?" I did my best to keep the panic out of my voice. "How early?"

"I dunno, maybe next Thursday?" I breathed a sigh of relief. "I know, not much sooner than originally, but it's still not as long of a wait. I'm dying to see you."

I was leaning against the frame of the kitchen doorway, watching Ron look at a photo album. I didn't want to believe that in a few days, this would just be a memory, and it would be like he had never been around at all. Then Charlie would be back, and things would go back to the way they were. I had once liked the way things were, and now it seemed like hell was just waiting around the corner.

"It would be lovely if you could be home next Thursday," I muttered into the phone. "Then we could have the weekend to ourselves."

"Maybe we'll start our holiday then," Charlie suggested. "Hermione, I can't stop thinking about you." His voice was thick with lust. "I can't wait to get back and have you in my arms. I miss you so much."

"I miss you, too." Ron looked up and saw me watching him. He smiled and I smiled back. I missed him the most. "But we can talk about the arrangements when you get back. I'll see you soon."

"Take care. I love you."

I turned my back to Ron. "Love you, too. Bye." I took a deep breath, trying to remind myself that four days could go by very slowly.

* * *

><p>Thursday passed without word from Harry; though I was sure it had to do with the fact that Ginny had all her prenatal appointments scheduled for Thursdays. I spent the evening wondering aloud why he hadn't owled me yet.<p>

"It seemed really important, whatever he had to say," I told Ron as I flipped through Hogwarts, A History for my favorite passages. I had conveniently avoided telling him that it was something pertaining to work.

"Harry's busy. I'm sure it'll be the first thing he does when he has a free moment. You know how he gets about telling us things." He held up a DVD. "What's this one about?"

"Um…explosions and gang fights? I don't know; it's Charlie's," I yawned.

Ron tossed it back on the bottom shelf and continued looking. "It's only eight. Why are you yawning?"

"Because Harry is exhausting me with this suspense. I can't take it. I have to know."

"Then go over to his place. He's probably still up." He gave up on the movies and joined me on the couch. "Not all of us are so easily tired out, you know."

I rolled my eyes. "I'll just wait. If I'm too eager, he'll keep it from me, just to aggravate me." I looked up from my book and saw that Ron looked quite serious. "What's up?"

"I just think you should go," he said after a moment's hesitation. "Then you'll be satisfied. And then you can tell me all of it, too."

"Aha! An ulterior motive, I knew it."

"That's not my only ulterior motive." I raised my eyebrow and Ron sighed. "Well, I was hoping you'd see James sometime this week. And maybe you could take a picture for me? I think…I think it'd be cool to see what he looks like the day he looks that way, you know?" He looked down and played with a loose thread on the throw pillow.

"Ron…you could always go and see him." Once again, I was getting looked at like I'd said something taboo. "If you just told Harry-"

Ron snorted. "Yes, that'd be a glorious meeting. 'Hey, Harry, I know you thought I was dead all these years, but I've been hiding out at Hermione's this week, so I thought I'd stop by. So did you see that final between England and Brazil last month?'" I giggled. "It's not funny, Hermione."

"Well, _I_ know you're alive," I argued. "I don't know why it's any different for Harry."

"Yeah, _you_ know and my better judgment is telling me to _obliviate_ _you_."

"But you've said you're not going to," I reminded him. "Ron, you should just tell him. He's really hurting without you."

"Thanks, Hermione, I had no idea what the consequences were," Ron hissed. He stood and started to walk into the kitchen. "Good thing I have you here to constantly remind me how much I've hurt you all."

I followed him. "Well would you rather I just ignore it and pretend this whole thing never happened? How easy do you think that is?"

He turned back to me quickly. "No, I'm just sick of hearing all about how negative what I did was, and how everyone's hurting, when in reality, you're all better off than you'd have been if I'd stuck around. You make me feel like it's a big waste, and it's not. I did this for you, all of this, and all you do is complain about it."

"Of course I complain about it," I spat. "Because you seem to think it's been a walk in the park with you gone. You have no idea-"

"You've had some bad dreams, so what?" That comment twisted my heart. "They're not real. Yeah, they suck, and they're scary, but they're not real. What would have happened would have been real, Hermione. You'd have been wishing for nightmares if-"

"It was so much more than that! I cried through every day for weeks. I couldn't go back to work for more than a month. I had to pack up all our things in the apartment, where everything reminded me of you, and how I'd lost you. And I had to put on a brave face for Harry, because he was almost as bad as I was, and I cried myself to sleep every night for months after, Ron. For months! There were days I didn't want to get out of bed. There still are. So, yes, I'm going to complain. I'm going to complain about what you did because despite your intentions, I can't possibly believe there could be anything worse than what you put me through."

"You have no idea. That's what I'm saying. You complain when you don't know what the alternative is. Trust me, there's worse."

"I wouldn't know, since you refuse to clue me in as to why I've dealt with this the past few years. I have had to go through this, and then you're going to leave me to do it all again in a few days, and you won't even tell me why."

"You know I can't," Ron said through clenched teeth. "How many fucking times do I have to-"

"You can say it all you want," I snapped. "But it's not going to change that I want to know-that I _deserve_ to know. Where are you going?"

"To bed," Ron growled. "I'll be in the guest room tonight."

"It's not even eight-thirty," I called after him, but he didn't answer. "Ron?" He made his way up the staircase and slammed the door behind him.

* * *

><p>Hot. That's the only thing I could think that night. It was boiling outside. Cooling charms, fans, splashing water on my face, sleeping in my underwear…nothing seemed to cure the July heat that encompassed me. I kept tossing and turning, trying to find a cooler position, but the movement just made me warmer.<p>

On top of it all, I couldn't stop thinking about the argument I'd had with Ron. Of course, I was still angry that he wasn't telling me what was going on, but I was willing to put it aside and try again later if it meant he wouldn't be mad at me. He was only planning to stick around through Sunday, which meant that I only had three days left. And that was if he stayed all Sunday. The way things were going now, it didn't seem likely.

I finally decided to get myself a glass of water-partly to cool me down, partly to keep me calm. I moved lazily through the heat to the kitchen, rolling my shirt up as I did so to give my abdomen some relief.

It turned out that I wasn't the only one with this idea. When I reached the kitchen, Ron was already there, leaning back on the edge of the sink with a glass in his hand. He seemed to have been deep in thought until he saw me. Our eyes locked for a second…and then I realized I was in nothing but a rolled up t-shirt and my underpants. He looked me up and down before our eyes met again. I needed to apologize. I couldn't handle him being mad at me-even if I thought I was right. I loved him, and I wanted to the next few days to be all about that. But how else could I make it clear if I hadn't already?

"Ron, I…" I stopped myself, racking my brains for the right words. I realized then that everything I needed him to know couldn't be told with words. He seemed to know it, too, and at the same moment, we moved closer than we had said we would.

The moment our lips met, I was done. My hands roamed over his chest and shoulders. Ron cupped my face in one of his hands and grabbed my hip with the other. I leaned back against the counter of the island and pulled Ron with me, not daring to leave a single space between our bodies. It didn't matter that the counter was cutting into my back, or that it was already a million degrees; everything Ron was making me feel outweighed the discomforts tenfold.

"Mm…Hermione…" Ron pressed his knee between my legs and I moaned, pushing myself against it. "You taste so good." He lifted my chin so that our lips met, softly this time. I felt his fingers graze my cheek before his hand rested there again. I pried my lips apart so his tongue could slide between them. I put my hands on either side of his head and pulled it as close as I could to mine, as if our faces were melting together, deepening the kiss further than I'd thought possible. "Oh, _Hermione_…"

"Ron…Ron, I love you." I sucked on his neck, causing him to make noises I hadn't heard in so long. I tugged at the ends of his hair affectionately as he stroked mine.

"I love you, too, babe. So mu-_fuck_." One of my hands had fallen between us and slid across his groin. He pulled me up and placed me on the counter. "I want you," he whispered, sliding my shirt further up. "So bad." I wrapped my legs around his waist as he licked and sucked my breast, both of us moaning as he did so.

"Bed," I murmured in his ear. "Not here. Take me to bed."

In the next moment, Ron was carrying me. I kept myself wrapped around him and kissed his neck. Once we had ascended the stairs, he pressed me against the wall and intertwined his fingers with mine before he pulled my arms above my head. Every inch of our bodies was touching. My body was on fire, but in a much more pleasurable way than it had been earlier. I didn't want to cool down. Eventually, I pulled him down the hall to the guest room. I broke away and sat on the bed. Just like the first night, I held out my arms for him. He fit himself in them perfectly and kissed me again, this time much harder and more urgently.

My memory hadn't done this justice. I rolled onto my back and pulled him on top of me, letting him lie between my legs. I moaned as he rested against my thin pants and deepened our kiss, sending fireworks from my head down to my toes. Ron groaned and moved his hands under my shirt, exploring every inch of my upper half for the first time in years. I couldn't remember the last time I had been touched like this. It was surreal.

I pushed him away long enough to pull off my shirt and he followed my example. We couldn't find each other's lips again fast enough. Ron's made a line down my neck. I grabbed handfuls of his hair and wrapped my legs around his waist. "Oh, Ron…" Hearing me say his name gave him more confidence. He massaged my breasts and extended the trail of kisses, moving down between my breasts, over my belly button, until he reached the top of my knickers.

Ron stopped and rested his forehead against my stomach. "Hermione-"

"I need you," I whimpered. "Ron, I need you, please-mm." He kissed the inside of one of my thighs. "Oh, Ron, that feels so-"

"Hand me my wand," Ron croaked. "Quick."

I grabbed it from the bedside table as he moved his body over mine. He took it from me before he pointed it at my lower half and muttered something. I made a mental note to tell him tomorrow that I was still finishing up that birth control this month, but all of those thoughts were wiped away when he leaned down and kissed me again. I looped my arms around him and pressed my palms into his back.

We stayed like that for a few minutes before I felt Ron's hands sliding up and down my thighs. He grabbed my arse and pulled my hips up to meet his. "Oh, God, Ron," I cried. He had slipped out of his pants at some point. I reached down to slide my underwear off, but he made it there before I did and slipped inside me almost immediately.

"Ron…Ron…Oh…_Oh, Ron_…"

It had been ages since we had been together. I loved the taste of his name in my mouth. I relished in the fact that I could say it without it pertaining to something dark and depressing. I moaned it again as he started to thrust into me-another thing I had missed out on for years. My lips moved against his hungrily, and I tugged gently at his bottom lip as he said my name longingly. Our hips met again and again in perfect rhythm.

I felt like I was soaring. Sex with Charlie had always been great, but I had forgotten that it was possible to feel this good. Nothing compared to the feel of Ron's skin pressed against mine or his smooth lips on my face, or the way we intertwined so perfectly that it was sometimes hard to tell where he ended and I began. Any moment my mouth wasn't on him or saying his name was a moment wasted. These were things I wouldn't be able to do for long, and I wanted to make the most of them while they were available to me.

I wrapped an arm around his neck and the other around his back, pulling him even closer to me as our thrusts became quicker. I whimpered and pulled my lips away so I could look into his eyes. He watched me with the most meaningful expression I'd ever seen. I could see everything I used to see, all the love in the world. I saw new things, too, that reflected how long it had been, how he had missed me all these years.

"Hermione," Ron moaned. "Hermione, I love you. I love you so much. You'll never know how much I really love you."

"Mm…Ron, I love you, too. I really, truly love-_oh, Ron_." I threw my head back and pressed my fingers harder into his back as I reached the height of our love making. Ron followed soon after and collapsed next to me on the bed. Once I finally caught my breath, I turned my head slowly to look at him. His face was blank and his eyes were closed as he continued to breathe heavily. I rolled on top of him and stroked his cheeks with the back of my hands before I kissed him softly. His eyes remained closed, but he smiled.

"I forgot how bloody fantastic that could be." Ron opened his eyes and stared at me in wonder. I smiled shyly, feeling myself blush. It was funny how these feelings never disappeared, never got old. "I missed this."

"I've missed you." I kissed him again. "Ron, don't leave me again." The smile vanished form his face. "I can't do it again. I can't go through this only to lose you a second time."

"If you would just let me do your memory-"

"_No."_ Ron scowled. "I already told you, I'm not letting you anywhere near my memories."

"And I already told you I have to leave again. Hermione, let's not spoil this. I just want to enjoy this time with you. We don't have much of it, and I-"

"Well, whose fault is that?" I spat. I rolled off of him and started looking for my shirt. "First you tell me we can't do this, and then we finally do, and you say you just want to enjoy it because we don't have time. You act like it's this big, fatalistic tragedy keeping us apart-but really, it's _you_. "

"Hermione, don't be like this." Ron got out of bed and pulled on his pants, ready to follow me.

"Don't tell me what to be like," I screeched. "_You_ could _change_ it. You could make it so we _don't_ have limited time. We could be _together_, and _you_ choose not to be. It's entirely your fault, so don't tell me what I can and can't be like."

"It's not that easy," Ron snapped. "How many times do I have to say it? This is for your own good."

"I can't decide for myself what's good for me, you're right. Did you ever think that we could work through whatever it is? Maybe I was willing to put up with these dangers to be with you?"

"You deserve better than to be with me, Hermione," Ron said. "You don't have to face them. Look at where you are now! You have a great life, you've got your career, and you're married to someone who can give you everything I can't. Charlie can keep you safe and happy-"

_"He's not you!_" I screamed. "He can't keep me happy because _he's not you!_ Don't you get it?_ You're_ the _only_ thing matters to me. And I don't care if I have to die. I don't care, because dying _with_ you is better than living _without_ you. Ron, I need you. I don't need Charlie, or that stupid job at the Ministry, or a long life. I just need you."

"And I need you to be okay," Ron yelled. "If something happened to you because I was selfish, I could never forgive myself. Damn it, Hermione. I should never have come here. I should have just let Crookshanks find his way back. I should have apparated when you heard me. I knew you would never underst-"

"NO, I DON'T UNDERSTAND!" I screamed. "I don't understand why you faked your own death! I don't get why you don't want to be with me. It's revolting to think about_-and I watched them put you in the ground!_ I don't understand how making me go through all that, how making me lose you in the worst way, could _possibly_ be any better than whatever you're hiding-"

"BECAUSE THIS WAY, YOU'RE ALIVE," Ron bellowed. "How many fucking times do I have to say it? Can you not be grateful that I was thinking of you first? I sacrificed EVERYTHING-my job, my family, YOU, GODDAMMIT IT. I gave up being with you, the best thing that's ever happened to me, just to keep you safe. _Why the bloody hell can't you get that through your fucking humungous brain?_ Nothing I do now is going to change _what_ you'd be in danger of or that I've been gone _all these years,_ or that we're not together, and that you're with Charlie now. But I _can_ control that you're alive and well. And if I had it to do again, I'd do the same damn thing because this is what's best for you. You don't know what we'd be up against."

"I WOULD KNOW IF YOU JUST TOLD ME!"

Ron shook his head. "This is the only way to keep you safe. Just let me do that for you, Hermione."

I was sobbing now, more from anger and frustration than sadness. I had gone and messed up a beautiful moment only to get no resolution. I understood that he was trying to protect me-but why didn't he understand that I didn't mind the risks?

"You're so stupid," I wept. "Why? Why do you have to do this stupid noble crap, hm? Why can't we just hideaway together? What makes you so sure I can't handle it?" Ron stared at me sadly. _"Answer me!_ I want to know what's so horrible. I want to know why you can't be with me. Why are you doing this to me? Ron, damn it, just tell me. Please, just tell me."

"I can't," he whispered. "Hermione, I just can't."

I started to cry more heavily. "Take me with you, then."

"I can't-"

"Just listen," I sobbed. "Ron, take me with you." He walked slowly towards me. "I don't have to know why, and no one has to know I'm with you. I just can't do this. I can't be away from you again. Don't leave me. I hate it when you leave me. I can't handle you leaving me again. I don't need anything here, I just need you." He wrapped me in his arms and rested his cheek against my head. "Ron, please. Please, don't go. Don't go."

I held onto him for dear life as I cried the hardest I had since Harry had told me the news all those years ago. We didn't move, but only swayed slightly as I pleaded with him not to go again. My heart had been taped back together over the past two weeks, and now it was ripping itself back into little pieces. I was living my nightmare. Ron was going to leave me, and I couldn't do anything to stop it. I couldn't get through to him. I couldn't save him from whatever was after him. I had to watch helplessly as he walked out of my life. I didn't think I would survive another day without him.

"But I love you," I murmured after a few minutes. "I love you, Ron. Stay. Please, stay."

"I love you, too." It was the first thing he had said since I had started begging.

"Then stay here," I cried. "Or take me with you. Ron, I can't take another day without you. Take me back with you."

Ron kissed my head and uttered those awful words. "I can't." His voice broke as he said them. I looked up into his beautiful eyes and noticed that they were wet-and that a tear had already escaped. "It hurts to be away from you. Believe me. I know how much it hurts. But I have to do it."

"You don't have to," I told him as I wiped his tears away. "You don't have to go. We can figure something out. There has to be another way."

"If there was another way, I'd do it in a heartbeat."

I sniffed and started sobbing again. Ron sat me down on the bed and lied back on the other side. He pulled me into his arms again and stroked my hair wordlessly while I begged and pleaded with him. It wasn't long until he was crying with me, though I don't think he wanted me to know it. I cried myself to sleep that night. The nice thing about it was that this time, I was at least in Ron's arms.

* * *

><p><em>The stars, the moon,<br>__They have all been blown out.  
><em>_You left me in the dark._

_No dawn, no day.  
><em>_I'm always in this twilight,  
><em>_In the shadow of your heart._

* * *

><p>AN: Expect George and Harry next chapter! I have to have my boys around. I just love writing Harry so much, especially from this POV. I can't even explain it. Gaaaahhh.

Oh, and expect some explanations from them both. I think you'll be glad to finally hear what Harry has to say. (OH AND MAYBE MORE NEVILLE! I WILL TRY MY DAMNEDEST.)

And I picked _50 First Dates_ because of the idea someone had that Ron had done this a few times and wiped Hermione's memory (not true in the slightest). Just a bit of irony for you, if that's the right word? Eh.

And reviews motivate meeeeeeeeeeeee!


	10. Sometimes It Hurts Instead

A/N: Omg. You guys rock. I've never been up to 100 reviews…and I thought I'd get 100 after updating, but...OMG. It's awesome for all my hard work to be recognized like that, and I enjoy hearing all your opinions, even when you don't like what's going on.

Speaking of…Issok to be mad at Ron, guys, and Hermione. But I think we should all take a moment to be mad at George. Just kidding. Hermione's not, though. (Therefore, she's _not_ gonna sleep with him next. Silly, I told you _Neville_ was coming into the story again. She's branching out from the Weasleys! *rolling of eyes*) Oh, and you all thought the last chapter was hot, so…I guess I don't suck at smut anymore…win? Dunno if there will be much more of that for awhile though…we'll see…

And I finally get to use my pretty much favorite song of the moment! I want to know how many of you knew it before reading this. Probably all of you…lol…

* * *

><p><em>Old friend, why are you so shy?<em>  
><em>It ain't like you to hold back or hide from the lie.<em>  
><em>I hate to turn up out of the blue uninvited,<em>  
><em>But I couldn't stay away, I couldn't fight it.<em>  
><em>I'd hoped you'd see my face and that you'd be reminded<em>  
><em>That for me it isn't over.<em>

* * *

><p>I woke up with a headache and swollen eyes. Ron was fast asleep beneath me and I moved with the slow rise and fall of his chest. After enjoying this for a few minutes too many, I pulled myself out of bed long enough to owl my boss that I was taking a sick day. When I crawled back into bed, Ron was wide awake.<p>

"I'm taking the day off."

"Because of me?"

"Because my head is pounding and I can barely see. Although, I guess I could trace that back to you."

"You should really go into work."

"My mind isn't in the right state. And it wouldn't be whether you were here or not. I'd get nothing done."

Ron sighed. He was staring up at the ceiling with a gloomy expression on his lovely face. I watched him tenderly, wondering what he was thinking. I knew he was unhappy with my decision to stay home. He was upset because I kept begging him to stay and it had had the desired effect. He was considering it in the back of his mind, and he knew he shouldn't. He couldn't. But there was certainly more reason behind that expression than just that.

"Ron?" He didn't answer me. "Ron, what's wrong?" He didn't answer right away, but instead gave himself time to form the words.

"You cheated on my brother."

I felt a wave of guilt course through my body, but it was gone soon, overtaken by the wave of emotion I felt when Ron looked at me.

"And I helped you do it." I tried to say something, but nothing would come out. No response seemed good enough. "I should probably go. You're right, Hermione. You can take care of yourself. You'll be-"

"No, please," I pleaded. "Ron, I need you. Charlie doesn't have to know. I don't want to hurt him, but-"

"But what? What he doesn't know won't hurt him?" Ron shook his head and threw back the blankets. "I don't believe this. That's not something I ever thought I'd hear you say."

"But that's not what I'm saying. Ron, I don't want to hurt him, but with you…everything's different with you. You change the way I feel about everything. I can't think straight when you're in the same room, and I can't think at all when…like last night for example. I can't think when I'm that close to you."

"So you're blaming this on me?"

"No. I'm blaming it on what I let you do to me."

Ron stopped buttoning his shirt and looked up at me. "I know what you mean. You do the same thing to me. But it's no excuse for what we did. I can't let that happen again, and I know if I stay here, that's all that will come of it. I can't stay with you, Hermione," he said sadly. "As much as I want to, I can't."

I got out of bed and walked over to him, staring at his shirt. I couldn't look into his eyes right now. They would break me completely. I finished buttoning his shirt for him while he stared at me. Once I'd finished, I fixed his collar and picked off invisible strings and bits of lint, doing anything to avoid looking at him. Finally, Ron lifted my chin up so our eyes could lock.

I studied his eyes, searching for signs of hope and finding none. He gulped and kissed me softly. I committed the feel of them and the way he wasted to my memory, knowing this would be the last time. He pulled away and looked at me.

"I love you."

I nodded. "I love you," I responded.

"I have to go."

I nodded. "I know." Neither of us moved. We swayed in each other's arms and watched each other closely. He leaned down and kissed me just one last time. This time, it didn't end until we were back on the bed in each other's arms. When it did, Ron rolled onto his back and pulled me on top of him.

"We shouldn't be doing this," he whispered.

I kissed him anyway. "One more time," I mumbled against his neck.

"Alright," Ron surrendered. "But just this one last time. Hermione, if you only knew what you do to me…_oh sweet Merlin, Hermione."_

"Just stay today," I purred into his ear. "One more day."

"Fine," Ron breathed. "Fine. I'll stay one more day. Mm…it's hard to think about leaving when you do that…"

I giggled and gently tugged on the bottom of his ear. "Then I'll just have to do that more often, won't I?"

We spent the entire day in the guest bedroom, leaving only to make dinner in the late afternoon. Neither of us bothered mentioning the dreaded topics that were sure to come before long. He didn't ask if I was sure he couldn't alter my memory. I didn't beg him to stay with me a little longer.

We made love everywhere. On our way downstairs, on the couch, against the fridge…it wasn't until Ron had taken me on the kitchen counter that he became concerned.

"Oh my God."

"What is it? What's wrong?" I sat up and looked around for some hint of tragedy, anything that could have caused the horrified look on Ron's face.

"We forgot the charm. The contraceptive charm. Oh, how could I be so fucking stu-"

"It's okay," I laughed as I reached out and massaged his scalp. He reminded me of Crookshanks when I did that. He closed his eyes and face went blank before he let out a purr-like hum. Then he remembered himself.

"No, it's not." He pulled my hand away and looked up at me. "That'd be a hard one to explain, if Charlie comes back and you've gotten pregnant while he's been away."

"Relax," I murmured soothingly. "I'm still on the pill. Everything will be fine." He let my hand fall back in his hair and he hummed again. "We can do it now if it will make you feel better."

"It would," Ron moaned. "Because if you keep this up, we're going to need it." I did it quickly before he pulled me closer and ran his tongue along my neck.

"You feel so good," I hissed.

"Not as good as you, I'm sure…"

It wasn't long before we were back in bed, pleasing and loving each other. I doubt either of us slept much that night. We would lie awake and stare at each other for ages. At some point, I would find myself moving the hair out of Ron's eyes so I could look into them, or his fingers would move forward to trace my lips. It wouldn't be long before one of us kissed the other gently, and then we would be snogging. Soon after, one of us would roll on top of the other and we would be moaning and teasing and making love. It was an endless cycle I didn't want to fall out of.

After one particularly phenomenal round, I worked my fingers on Ron's scalp as I watched his blue eyes roll about in pleasure. I blinked lazily, chuckling to myself. When I opened my eyes, it was much brighter. The sun had decided to pay a visit and the bed was empty except for me. Confused, I rolled over to find Ron kneeling beside the bed, watching me with a look of adoration.

"Oh, I didn't mean to fall asleep on you," I apologized. Ron shook his head and chuckled. He reached out stroked my cheek. "What time is it?"

He frowned. "About nine." I realized he was fully dressed. My stomach plummeted painfully fast. My heart started racing. It was Saturday morning; he had just yesterday said this was it. He wouldn't stay any longer. In a matter of minutes, I was going to have to adjust to living without him all over again. "I have to get going."

I was certain that I'd have nightmares that night. I reached out and ran my fingers through his ginger locks. "I'm never going to see you again, am I?" I asked bitterly.

"Honestly…I don't know. I don't think so, but…well, you never know. I wasn't supposed to see you this time either."

"So…you're just going to go live alone for the rest of your life?" I couldn't stand the thought. As much as I hated the idea of Ron off with another life, and other friends, and surrounded by other people, perhaps having a different name and dyed hair, the idea of him alone in some little cabin in the middle of nowhere for years to come drove me insane. I'd have rather known he was doing _something_, or that it wasn't a _complete_ waste because he had something worth keeping him away from me.

Ron shrugged. "I don't know what's going to happen. You don't need to worry about it. Just promise me you'll take care of yourself, okay?"

"Ron, I-"

"Promise me that you'll try to be happy, as happy as you can be. Make the most of your life. Please, Hermione, promise me you will. Promise you won't stop living because of me."

I gulped. I had half a mind to tell him that I could never be happy knowing he was out there somewhere without me. Life without him was the unhappiest thing imaginable, that he was my life, and therefore living without him wasn't possible. I didn't want to argue with him, though, so I bit my tongue and nodded.

"I'll try," I whispered. "I don't know how successful I'll be, but for you, I'll try."

Ron smiled softly and continued to stroke my cheek. "That's all I ask." I put my hand over his and he frowned. "The last thing I want is for you to be miserable. I miss you every second of this. I want you to know that."

"I do. Ron, I don't want you to be miserable, either. Aren't you trying to be happy? I can't be happy if I know you're not."

Ron shook his head. "Don't worry about me. I'm doing my best."

I didn't believe him. "Okay. Well…"

"Are you sure you don't want me to alter your memory?" Ron asked for what felt like the millionth time. "You might happier not knowing, you know."

I shook my head adamantly. As much as I had willed myself not to cry, this did me in. A tear escaped and I sniffed. "I don't want to forget you," I said hoarsely. "I don't want to forget any bit of you. I need those memories to keep me sane."

He wiped the tear from my cheek and nodded. "Alright. Hermione, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry it has to be like this."

"And you're not going to tell me why."

"No, I'm not."

I nodded. "I'm sorry, too." I sat up and took his face in my hands before I kissed him softly on the lips. I had to kiss him one last time. "I love you."

Ron closed his eyes. I knew he was trying to remind himself why he was doing this. I was weakening his resolve, and he couldn't allow it. Finally, he opened them. The beautiful blue orbs were wet.

"I love you, too. I mean it. I love you."

He kissed me one more time. It was deep and passionate; it reminded me of the day he left. We were both trying to convey everything we felt in that one kiss. Our tears mingled together as we pressed closer to one another. Unable to hold back any longer, I let out a tiny sob. Ron pulled away slowly. This was it; it was the end. I would never get to see him after this.

"Ron…Ron, I…" But I couldn't speak. There was nothing left to say.

"Goodbye, Hermione," Ron stepped back and vanished with a small pop. All I could do was stare at the spot where he had vanished.

* * *

><p>I couldn't bring myself to cry. I was far past that point. I lied in bed for hours afterward, staring at the ceiling. It was like he hadn't been here at all. I didn't know what to do with myself. I marveled at the fact that life without Ron had been manageable at one point. Without him, I was lost. I wasn't even sure how to work my body, how to make it get out of bed, or what it was supposed to do once it was.<p>

At about three, I heard a door downstairs slam. For a second, I thought maybe he'd returned. I bolted out of the guest room and leaned over the banister to see who it was.

"Oh, thank Merlin. Where the hell have you been?"

I frowned down at Harry, contemplating telling him what a disappointment he was. "Here."

Harry shook his head and started up the stairs. "I went to find you yesterday and your boss said you'd taken the day off. Since when do you take days off? Is everything okay?"

I started to nod, but my head felt much too heavy. "No," I admitted. "No. Everything's wrong." I finally broke down. Harry hugged me tightly despite his bewilderment.

"It's okay. Here, let's go downstairs and chat."

Half an hour later, we both sat on the couch with half empty mugs of tea. I wasn't crying anymore. I'd told Harry it was simply one of those days. I missed Ron. It was the truth, and Harry admitted he'd just had a day like that a week or so ago. I had wept for a good twenty minutes, sobbing that he had left me, that it wasn't fair, that I just wanted him back.

"I'm sure I'll feel better once Charlie gets back," I said now before taking a sip of tea. "It's just hard, and being here alone…I can't stop thinking about him."

Harry smiled encouragingly and rubbed my arm. "It'll get better. It always does. Your dreams are better than they used to be, aren't they?" I nodded, but my head still felt heavy. "When is Charlie due back?"

"Next Sunday, but he might make it back as soon as Thursday."

"See? He'll be back soon and everything will be okay. I'm sure of it. You're welcome to come by for dinner or stay with us, Hermione. Ginny insisted that I bring you back with me tonight, actually. And I'm sure George would let-"

"I don't want to stay with George," I snapped. "I mean, I don't want to stay anywhere else. I need to stay here. I need to do this on my own. I can't…I can't just leave the house whenever something bad happens."

Harry shrugged, obviously taken aback by my initial irritation. "Er, I guess. But you should come by for dinner tonight. You promised you'd visit James, remember?"

"Oh, you're right. I would love to see him." It was too bad Ron hadn't stayed another day. I could have gotten him that picture. "I'll come to dinner tonight, but I have to shower and everything. Oh, and you never did tell me what you were going to the other day!"

Harry winced. "I'd forgotten I'd even told you about it."

"Forgotten?" I shrieked. "Harry, tell me! Now!"

Harry sighed heavily. "Alright, I'll tell you. But only because this might need quite a bit of attention from the Wizarding World itself." I felt my eyes widen. "Remember, I told you not to worry about it. I told you if it got serious, then I would fill you in. Well…I think it's serious, Hermione."

I furrowed my brows together. "Oh my gosh. How serious?"

Harry ran his hands through his hair, trying to relieve his stress. "I have a feeling we might have to build the Order back up. Things aren't looking too good."

I gasped. "Is there…is there another dark wizard? Another clan coming about? You know I'll help you with the Order straight away. It won't be difficult to band everyone together, especially because none of us will want to go through it again. We'll fight that much harder. I can contact all of the D.A. and-"

"No, no, it's not another Voldemort." I was confused. "It's a bit more complicated than that."

"If there's not another dark wizard-"

"Yet."

"If there's not another dark wizard on the loose _yet_, then why are you talking about building up the Order?"

"Because…because we have reason to believe that Neville and Malfoy are in danger."

"What? Neville and Malfoy?" Of all the people in the world, for him to group those two together…

"Yes, Neville and Malfoy," Harry repeated. "They…I really shouldn't be telling you this." He looked around nervously, as if he expected someone to burst in at any moment. I had to lean in, too, because he was speaking so softly. "A couple years ago, right after the war ended, we received an interesting bit of information. There was another prophecy-don't interrupt, Hermione! There was another, one just like mine, and with it being right after the war, it caused a bit of panic in the department. We've done everything we can to make sure everyone involved is safe, but…well, it's starting to come back to bite us in the ass."

"W-what did it say?" I couldn't believe it. Another prophecy like Harry's? No wonder Harry was so stressed out-especially if it was in danger of coming true.

"I don't remember the wording exactly," Harry admitted. "But we know all the details. It said there would be another child with the fate of the Chosen One, born at the end of the month of March. Someone would come after them for vengeance."

My mind was spinning. "How do you know it's talking about Neville and Malfoy? There have been plenty of children born at the end of March, I'm sure-"

"There's more," Harry said gravely. "It said the child would have a pureblood father, the same age as the Chos-well, me. And that his mother played a part in defeating Voldemort. It didn't really leave us many candidates."

I thought on this. "So, of all the purebloods in our year at Hogwarts, there was…Malfoy, of course. Crabbe died, but Goyle was pureblood. Zabini and Nott, too. Ernie Macmillan was the only one in Hufflepuff. Of course, none of their mothers helped save the world."

"Malfoy's mother told Voldemort I was dead," Harry whispered. "You don't think someone would go after them in revenge?"

"Good point," I said, nodding. "Well, there were no purebloods in Ravenclaw, at least not in our year. And then there's Neville, and we know all about _his_ mother, but that's-"

"You've forgotten someone."

I stopped and looked at Harry skeptically. "No," I said slowly. "No one else in Gryffindor was-" I stopped as the realization set in. "Except-"

"Yeah, no one else," Harry said. "Except for Ron."

I stared at Harry for a long time. "Of course. Molly killed Bellatrix."

Everything started to click in my head. So this was what Ron had been so afraid of. He was certain we would have a child whose fate would be as tragic as our best friend's. Not only would we be in danger…but so would our baby. He couldn't tell me because it affected Neville and Malfoy, too. He knew there was no way we could avoid having children. It was inevitable, at least as long as we were together. Protection wasn't always one hundred percent, and the last few days he was around had proved we wouldn't be able to avoid…well, _the necessary deed_.

"You asked me if I was pregnant," I said. "When Ron…after the funeral. You asked me…was this what that was all about?"

"I had to make sure you were going to be okay," Harry explained. "If you had been, we would have had to place so much protection on you, and start it off right away before anyone found out."

"But how would you have known it would be us? You said Neville and Malfoy-"

"But you two were prime candidates," Harry said. "Think about it, Hermione. Yeah, Neville got the snake, and Malfoy's mother lied to Voldemort about me, but you and Ron are on my level in their eyes. You were alongside me through the war. You two might as well be me. And if it was _both_ of you…you'd be the first target."

I gulped. Harry was right. We would have been the first they'd have gone after. I suddenly didn't feel very well.

"Hermione, are you okay? I knew I shouldn't have said-"

"I'll be back." I hurried upstairs into the bathroom and sank down to the floor. I leaned against the wall with my head in my hands. So this was why he wouldn't take me with him. It wasn't _just_ about keeping me safe. There would have been an innocent life at stake. We would have put our baby in danger. Our baby…we were supposed to have a baby. The image of our little ginger girl returned to me and I had to choke back a sob. She was real. She was supposed to be very real. But if Ron had stayed, I might not have been able to see just how real she was. I might not have always been there to protect her. Someone would have gone after her. Someone would have wanted to hurt her.

There were a few sharp knocks on the door. "You okay in there?" I took a few deep breaths to collect myself. "Hermione?"

"I'm alright. Just give me a minute." I stumbled out of the bathroom weakly a few minutes later. Harry was sitting in the hall waiting for me.

"Hermione, I really didn't mean to upset you like that. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have told you that last-"

"No, it's fine." I sank down across from him and leaned back against the wall. "Really, I just needed a few minutes. I…Harry, you know I'd do anything to help you protect Neville and his family. Ev-even Malfoy doesn't deserve what you and your parents went through. What do we need to do? How do we know for sure that they're in danger?"

Harry licked his lips and shook his head sadly. "There's so much to be done. Hermione, both of their wives are pregnant." I frowned. "They're both due sometime in late March." I cringed at the thought. "As soon as it gets out, they're both bound to be in trouble. When all that about the prophecy was originally going around, we hadn't weeded everyone out yet. Some people from the Ministry have since been put in Azkaban. People talk. I'm sure the Death Eaters are just waiting for news on it. They learned from Voldemort; they think the prophecy makes the fate. They don't think about the fact that they can control it. I'm sure they're just waiting for a cue on who to go after."

The idea made me sick to my stomach. I wrapped my arms around my middle protectively, knowing it would do nothing, even if there had been something in there to protect. "Oh, no. No, no, no. That's so wrong, Harry. And Neville's been through so much as it is. We can't let this happen again. I won't let it happen."

Harry nodded. "I know you won't. Well, I'm glad you're in the clear, though. You can help me more this way." I shuddered at the thought that it could have been me. My arms wrapped themselves even more tightly. "I don't…I don't know whether I should tell you, but I think…I think you might like to know. Ron was really concerned about this when it came up." I could feel my throat constricting. "He worried for you, Hermione. You were always his number one concern. He really loved you. You have to know that."

A few tears slid down my cheeks. "I know. He made sure I knew." I smiled slightly to myself, thinking of the morning and the day before. "He always made sure I knew." I couldn't take it anymore. I let out a few sobs and buried my head in my knees. Harry was by my side a few seconds later, rubbing my back and telling me everything was going to be okay. Everything would be back to normal in just a few days.

"It won't be normal," I whispered. "It will be the furthest thing from normal it could possibly be. Harry, I-I just miss him so much."

"I know, Hermione. I do too."

I didn't say anything else. He didn't know. For him, it was a closed case. It was something he had dealt with every day for years. It wasn't a fresh wound for him. It hadn't been reopened. I sobbed a bit longer into Harry's shirt, and I'm sure he spilled a few of his own into my hair. After nearly a half an hour, I pulled away and wiped my eyes.

"I need to take a shower. I must smell awful," I chuckled.

"Nah, you're not too bad," Harry said with a smile. "I've smelled worse. Even from you." I slapped him on the arm. "What? It's the truth. You have to come for dinner tonight, though, or Ginny'll have my head."

I nodded as I stood and searched for my bath things. "Okay, don't worry. I'll meet you there as soon as I'm done getting ready."

Harry shook his head. "Oh, no you don't. I'll be in the living room. I'm not taking any chances with you."

I rolled my eyes. "Fine, fine. Have it your way. I won't be too long."

* * *

><p>"Boom. Boom, go!"<p>

James's toy broom sprang to life beside him. He shrieked in delight and gripped the handle, but then a puzzled look came over his face. He cried out in frustration. "Dada! Dada, boom!"

Harry grabbed his son by the middle and hoisted him over the broom so that he was straddling it. James grinned widely and crookedly-a smile that reminded me very much of Ron. I felt a pang as I looked at the familiar smile in miniature and remembered Ron's request from a few days prior. It didn't help my heartache to realize that Ron would never get to see his nephew or how much they were really alike.

"Careful, Jamesie," Harry said before he let go. The broom moved at a slower pace, gliding around the family room while James held on tight and laughed excitedly. This advanced model had sensory detectors that kept him from crashing and a speed limit. It was comical to see James riding along at the speed of a snail and turning sharply whenever he got too close to a piece of furniture, especially when he found it to be so entertaining. I wondered what would happen if George stuck Fred on a broom in the same room as James…

"Harry, do you have a camera on you?"

"Uh, there's one In my office."

"Can you grab it? I need a picture of this."

Harry retrieved it quickly, agreeing that it was the perfect photo op. I held the new picture in my hand, grateful for the new Wizard version of Polaroid cameras. I could see the shadow of James on his broom zooming painstakingly slow across the picture.

"My-mee!" I looked up and waved at my godson from across the room. He made the mistake of waving back and lost his balance, falling back onto his bum as the broom continued without him. He let out a long, dramatic wail.

"Oh, you big baby," Ginny mumbled as she picked him up off the floor. "That was barely a fall." She kissed his forehead and stroked his dark hair lovingly. "Just wait until you're on your house team, playing _real_ Quidditch." James pressed his head into Ginny's chest and rubbed his eyes with his tiny fists. "I think I'll put him to bed now. Say goodnight to Hermione and Daddy."

James leaned away from his mother to give me a kiss and then hugged Harry tightly around the neck. He babbled all the way to the staircase before he burst into tears, suddenly realizing what time it was.

"He's going to be something else when he's older," I told Harry.

"I'm already dreading the rebellion," he sighed. "It'll happen as soon as he can talk in full sentences. He started saying 'no' the other day. That'll be a fun one." I chuckled to myself and looked back down at the picture. It was nearly done; the colors only needed to darken to their true representations. "Hermione, are you sure you're okay?"

I snapped up and looked at him, trying to hide my true feelings. I smiled softly and nodded. Inside, I felt like I was being ripped apart. Just hours ago, Ron had been with me. That time a day previously, his arms had been wrapped around me. Now, I had to pretend it had never happened, and that it was never going to happen again. I missed him.

"Really, Harry, I'm just exhausted. I needed that day off yesterday to catch up."

"If you say so," Harry sighed. "Even Ginny noticed that you were off."

I shrugged, trying not to be annoyed or terribly depressed. "I appreciate your concern, but I'm simply tired. In fact, I should get going. I don't know what time Charlie's going to call me tomorrow, but if it's early, I won't get back to sleep."

"Fair enough. Keep in touch, yeah? I miss having you around."

"I miss being around," I admitted. Things could be easier whenever I was with Harry. Then again, they could be much harder at times as well. I promised to owl if I needed anything and to meet Harry for lunch on Monday. I walked down the street and apparated, but I didn't go straight home.

* * *

><p>George lived in an elegant two-story house just outside of London. He had enough space around to keep from worrying about the Muggles in nearby suburbs, which was perfect for Fred, who was very magical, especially for a child his age. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to appreciate just how lovely George's home was that night. I walked up the stone path and tapped on the white door impatiently. In a matter of seconds, George opened it with a smile that faded as soon as he saw my expression.<p>

"Hey, Hermione, what's going on?"

"I need you to do something for me."

I pushed past him and into the front parlor, ignoring his confusion. The room was teal and furnished in white seating with an intricate black rug on the floor. Once again, George's home was lovely. I simply couldn't appreciate it on a night like that one.

"Um, sure. What do you need?"

I glanced down at the picture of James on his broom, which was now fully developed. "I need you to send this to Ron."

Silence. "I…what?"

I finally turned to face my brother-in-law. "I need you to send this to Ron. I mean, you seem to be the only one who knows how to contact him. He wanted a picture of James, so here it is. And close your mouth. You'll catch flies like that."

George snapped his mouth closed and looked me over suspiciously. "I think you've lost it, Hermione. How can I possibly send that to Ron?"

For a split second, I thought I might have imagined the entire thing. Then again, if the past few days had meant I wasn't sane, I would have gladly admitted myself to Lockhart's ward in St. Mungo's that very second.

"George, I know. I've seen him." George opened his mouth, but no sound came out. "He brought Crookshanks back and stayed with me the past two weeks. And he wanted to have a fresh picture of his nephew, and…George, how could you?"

All George did at first was stare. "Hermione, I…you have no idea-"

"No, don't start with that," I snapped. "I'm sick of people telling me I don't have a clue about what's going on. All I know is I've been hurting, and you could have stopped it. And you didn't do a thing. You didn't do a damn thing to stop it, and you knew he was really okay the whole time. Why? Why would you-"

"He had reasons, Hermione," George finally said. "He wanted to do this for you, for our family. If he would have stayed, you two would have been in so-"

"So much danger, I've heard it all before. And Harry told me. Harry told me, just today, all about the prophecy. I know what was at stake. Did you think I would never find out? George, I've been hurting more now than I would have it-"

"If someone wanted to hurt your child?" George snorted. "Oh, please, I'm sure you'd disagree if you were staring down someone's wand right now, hoping against hope that they'd spare your baby and your husband. Would you rather that have happened, Hermione?"

"No," I shouted as Angelina appeared in the doorway behind George. "But I think we would have been better off to handle it instead of running from it. You shouldn't have lied to me. You saw what I was going through all these years, and you didn't say a word. You encouraged me to move on! You told me I should marry Charlie, and have kids. And the whole time he was out there, alive and healthy and-"

"Shit, Hermione, it was more than that. I'd rather you go on and be happy because no matter what I did, or wanted to do, he wasn't going to come back. I was right about that. He wasn't going to come back and give you what you needed. It was best for you to move on."

"Oh, now you're some expert on what's best, now that you've pulled off some-"

"I DIDN'T WANT TO LOSE ANOTHER BROTHER," George yelled. "Is that so bloody wrong of me? I still haven't gotten over Fred. I doubt I ever will. My family couldn't take losing another one of us, and that's exactly what would have happened if Ron would've stuck around. They would have gone after you three, and he'd have been the first to go because we both know he wouldn't have let them anywhere near you. It was either wait to see him really go, or cut our losses. I didn't want to do it, Hermione, but I haven't thought of another way it could have been stopped. I didn't want to do it, but it's what I thought was best."

I shook my head vigorously. "No, your entire family…they still think they lost him. They still had to grieve the same as if it had really happened. And even then, there was no guarantee that-"

"You don't think you'd have been the first ones?" George laughed almost maniacally. Angelina called his name, but he didn't answer. "You're naive if you think that. You're a damn fool. They'd have gone for you both by now, and then we'd have two, maybe three deaths to mourn instead of just his."

"That wouldn't have happened," I shrieked. "He wouldn't have…_I_ wouldn't have let it happen, and neither would Harry."

"You can only do so much, Hermione," Angelina said gently. "He's right. They would have gone for you first. You might not be standing here if-"

"I might as well not be standing here," I hissed. "I think I'd rather not be standing here. I'd rather be six feet under than having to do _this_."

"You don't mean that," she said faintly. I didn't answer, but made my way to the door. She was wrong; I meant it more than I'd meant anything in my life.

"Oh," I said as the first bit of breeze licked my face. "Here. I really would appreciate if you could get this to him." I thrust the picture into George's hand as he watched me bitterly. "And all this time, I really thought you were supporting me."

I slammed the door behind me before he could respond and apparated home. The dishes from dinner the night before were still in the sink and my old Cannons t-shirt was on the ground next to the island. I couldn't even remember how it had gotten there exactly. The place looked so alive. It still smelled like Ron.

Unlike the kitchen, I felt hallow and dead inside. I sunk to the floor and grabbed the shirt off the ground. I hugged it tightly to my body and cried for very long time, wondering if I would ever be seeing its original owner again.

I couldn't bring myself to cry too hard, though; I had a feeling that it wasn't over yet.

* * *

><p><em>Nothing compares, no worries or cares.<br>__Regrets and mistakes, they're memories made.  
><em>_Who would have known how bittersweet this would taste?_

* * *

><p>AN: I mean, if you don't know, the song was _Someone Like You_ by Adele. I'm obsessed. All her songs make me think Romione, especially _One and Only_ (GO LISTEN RIGHT NOW). (And I'm curious...do you guys listen to the songs while you read? No big deal, just curious...it won't stop me!)

My next update...I don't know. I have a lot going on with classes and other stories I'm trying to pull together (if you haven't read my oneshot, you def should, it's adorable). Plus I'm visiting home next weekend, so...hopefully soon! I'll try for within a week, but no promises...)

And I'm gonna get either a lot of "woo-hoo"s or a lot of crap for the direction I'm going with this story.

Haters gonna hate. Reviews are greatly appreciated.

XOXO-VK


	11. You Could Be Happy

A/N: I'm sorry this took me so long. Classes are getting more intense (oh, college...) and this last week and the one coming are going to be stressful because homecoming is this weekend. Ugh. But this chapter is longer than any of the others, and much longer than I'd thought it would be, so I hope that makes up for some of it.

The updates might be bi-weekly from here on out. I recently posted the prologue for my new fic and I need to update it just as regularly as this one if I can. Once again, that's not a for sure thing! I'll have more info on that next chapter. Please be patient with me!

I'm gonna shoot for twenty five reviews this chapter. I know, a bit ambitious, but I think since it'll be a bit before I get a chance to update, it gives us plenty of time. So make sure you review! I love them more than you will ever understand.

And thanks everyone for your reviews on the last chapter! Hope you enjoy this slightly emotional one.

Oh, and no smut or lemons this time, guys. Just hints, but nothing to skim over.

Song-_You Could Be Happy_, by Snow Patrol (a personal favorite)

* * *

><p><em>You could be happy and I won't know<em>_,  
>But you weren't happy the day I watched you go.<br>And all the things that I wished I had not said  
>Are played in loops 'till it's madness in my head.<em>

* * *

><p>I was so tired that I didn't even jump when a pair of strong arms encircled me the following Friday night. Their owner's lips pressed into my shoulder and his head stayed there. "Hermione, are you awake?"<p>

I could have done one of two things. I could have rolled over and greeted my husband the way any wife would after nearly a month of separation. I also could have pretended to be asleep to avoid confrontation. I chose the latter.

Charlie sighed into my neck and kissed me again before he pulled me even closer to him. "I love you," I heard him murmur. Within minutes, his soft snoring filled my ears.

I was mortified by the fact that he was back. I didn't want to face him. I wasn't ready. I couldn't face him because I had betrayed him. I had cheated on him and there was no way I expected him to forgive me for that. He deserved a queen and I had given him nothing. I also didn't think I could face him because he wasn't Ron. After weeks of staring into those mesmerizing blue eyes, finding brown staring back at me was going to be quite the wake up call. I wasn't sure if I could handle it at this hour. I prayed that tonight would be the first night of the week I didn't have one of my nightmares. I knew that for once, Charlie wouldn't be very comforting, and that scared me.

I lied in his arms for hours, trying to fall back asleep, but it was impossible. A month ago, I would have welcomed this. It would have been a gesture full of warmth and comfort. Now, it just felt wrong. He wasn't tall enough. He didn't fit against me the same way. Out bodies weren't as perfectly aligned as they should have been. The stubble on his face was irritating and scratchy.

At about four in the morning, I finally fell asleep. I was glad it was Saturday when I woke up around eleven, or I'd have been a walking zombie at work for the sixth day in a row. I sighed and rolled over on my side. Luckily, Charlie was still sleeping. I stealthily gathered my things and made my way to the bathroom, where I took my time in the shower. I knew I couldn't put off facing Charlie forever. I knew I couldn't tell him what I had done. It would be pointless to tell him when I couldn't reveal the identity of the man who had done it with me, and it would cause unnecessary fighting and pain. As much as I hated what Ron was doing, I couldn't jeopardize his secret, especially now that I knew why he was doing it.

As I stood in front of my closet, trying to pick the most comfortable outfit imaginable, Charlie surprised me again by wrapping himself around me from behind.

I jumped and shrieked. "Oh, Merlin, you scared me."

"Sorry," Charlie mumbled into the patch of bare skin he was caressing with that obnoxious beard of his. I couldn't figure out how I had ever found it attractive. "Hermione, I've missed you so much." He turned me around to face him and I realized that it wasn't so bad. No, his eyes weren't blue, and that stung a bit, but he was still Charlie. He was my husband, and I still loved him. It might not have been as much or as deeply as I loved Ron, but I still cared about him. He pulled my lips to his and I hesitated only slightly before returning the kiss.

Charlie moaned into my mouth and moved his hands up and down my sides before one landed on my bum and the other tangled itself in my hair. With a chuckle, I remembered that he had been without any sort of physical affection for about a month and felt a sting of sympathy for him. It was enough to motivate me to pull his hips closer, trying to block out the last time I had been this intimate with _someone_, willing my mind to bring back memories of all the times I had been with Charlie.

Without separating our heated bodies, Charlie guided me onto the bed and fell on top of me. His hands undid my towel and roamed my skin as he pressed against my knickers. Almost immediately, I felt that something was wrong. My eyes widened and I pushed him off of me when I realized what it was.

"Oh, no. Charlie, move,"

"Mm…what's wrong?"

"Charlie, I said _get off_," I huffed. I pushed him away and slid out from under him before I raced away to the bathroom. I exhaled deeply when my suspicions were confirmed.

There was a knock on the door. "Hermione? What's wrong, Love?"

I sighed and opened the door slowly. "You're not going to believe this. I've started my period."

Charlie stared at me blankly for moment. Then, his eyes widened and he smacked his forehead. "No, please tell me you're kidding."

I shook my head sadly. I felt horrible. My husband had been away from home for a month and because I had been too selfish and miserable to acknowledge his return the night before, I couldn't even give him what he had so patiently gone without for an entire month. My guilt grew as I realized that I was relieved to be able to avoid having sex with him. "I wish I was. I'm sorry, Charlie."

Charlie sighed heavily and shook his head. "I can't believe it. Well, we'll just have to keep trying." I shot him a puzzled look. "For a baby. You know this means you're not pregnant."

I stared at him in disbelief. "That's what you're so disappointed about? And here I thought you wanted a coming home present of sorts."

Charlie smirked and pulled me close to him once more. "Well, that too. You were on the pill, though, so I should have expected there'd be no baby anytime soon. Well, now you'll be off it in a week and we can really get going, yeah?" He kissed the top of my head. "It doesn't matter. You'll just have to make it up to me when it's over."

I smiled and leaned my head against his chest. How I had gotten so lucky in landing Charlie, I had no idea. More guilt spilled through my gut as I remembered what I had done-especially knowing that I would do it all again if I had the chance. I didn't deserve Charlie. I was taking him from some deserving girl somewhere out there in the world, and I was treating him like a pile of dragon dung.

"Charlie, I don't deserve you."

"Nonsense. If you don't, I don't know who does." I sighed and squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block out all of the conflicting feelings coursing through my body. "Come on. Let's get you a warm bottle and some chocolate."

* * *

><p>I was surprised by how quickly I fell back into the routine Charlie and I had set up. By Sunday, things were back to the way they had been before he had left. We were content enough in each other's presence. Still, it was never quite the same. I didn't feel quite as happy and full as I did before Ron had come back. It pained me to know that, even at my height of happiness, it would never get much better than this.<p>

Charlie and I started to plan the holiday we had talked about taking before he left. I figured I could use the time away from the house to clear my thoughts and readjust to the way things had to be. We decided to visit the little summer cottage my parents owned on the shore of the Atlantic.

I put in a request to get the next week off that Monday. It was a good thing, too, because on Wednesday, we finally reached a bargain with the Goblins. Alongside the celebrations came holiday requests from nearly everyone in the office. I was lucky enough to get my time off, all the way through the Monday after Harry's birthday. Charlie did the same and on Thursday night, we packed away our things so we could head away as soon as we got back from work the following night.

"How's your time of the month going?" Charlie asked only two minutes into our conversation as we packed.

I smirked. "Very subtle, dear," I cheeked. "I think I'll be more than ready for tomorrow night, since I know that's what you're really asking."

Charlie kissed my cheek and smiled charmingly. "I can't help it. It's been over a month, and my hand's got nothing on you." I scowled. "Oh, come on, don't act surprised."

"I'm not surprised. It's just vulgar of you to say such things." I shook my head for emphasis. "You know I could have helped if you'd have asked." I blushed slightly as I mumbled it. I could handle talking about sex with my husband; favors, however, were another matter entirely.

"I told you already. You'll just owe me. At least until tomorrow night." I sighed heavily. He scooted closer to me and wrapped his arms around me. "I can't wait to have you all to myself for an entire week," he whispered in my ear as he kissed it.

I did everything I could not to tense under his touch. "More than a week," I said, reminding myself more than him. "It's going to be lovely, isn't it? Our holiday, I mean."

Charlie chuckled. "Yeah, our _holiday_ will be fantastic."

He went back to packing while I wondered how I was going to make it through an entire week of nothing but Charlie without cracking.

I got out of work a little late on Friday. Charlie left a note that he had gone on without me and taken all of our things, so I changed into more comfortable clothes and apparated to the cottage. When I walked in, a striking aroma filled my nose and traveled sweetly through my lungs. I was beginning to get used to having boys cook for me.

"That smells amazing, whatever it is," I called as I kicked off my shoes at the front door.

"Come and have a taste," Charlie called. "I'm making us a romantic feast to set the mood of our trip."

"Charlie, I thought this was a simple holiday," I joked when I entered the kitchen. "Now you're telling me it's some sort of second honeymoon?"

"Well, what else do you think holidays are for childless couples such as us?" he remarked quickly. "Here, taste this wine." He handed me a bottle, but I shook my head.

"I'm not really in the mood for wine tonight."

Charlie looked at me like I was insane. "But you love wine. It'll go perfectly with what we're having, too."

I frowned and looked down at the bottle. "Sorry. I'm just not feeling it."

Charlie shook his head. "Is this some sort of revenge for me leaving out the honeymoon part? Ah, no matter. You'll be mine after a bite of this steak." I giggled and wrapped myself around him while he cooked. With a pang, I thought of doing the same to Ron a few weeks earlier. I buried my head deeper against Charlie's back and hoped none of the tears I felt building would spill onto his thin shirt. He'd be sure to feel them, and then I'd have a time explaining to him why I was suddenly crying.

It wasn't long before we were eating a delicious steak dinner that sent my taste buds on an adventure. He pulled out apple pie for dessert and we devoured it as our wands guided the dishes to wash and dry themselves. When we finished with that, Charlie set the dishes in the sink and pulled me out of the chair, into his arms, and kissed me passionately. Even I couldn't resist moaning at the feeling he put into it.

"I love you, Hermione," he breathed before returning for more. He didn't give me a chance to talk. Instead, he kissed me once more and then carried me to the bedroom. That night was the first time I had ever faked any sort of intimacy. I exaggerated my sighs into moans, tugged on his hair when things didn't feel particularly out of the ordinary as though they did, smiled brightly whenever he looked at me as though I was in paradise…

When he finished, he rolled off me and pulled me into his arms. "I have a good feeling about this time, Love," Charlie murmured. "It won't be long until we have a baby of our own."

I nodded and stroked his hair, which was much too long and dry for my fingers' taste. "Yeah, not long at all." I couldn't help but feel that he was right, as much as I hated to admit it. Especially with a week full of opportunities, it would be more likely than not that we'd be pregnant by the end of our holiday. This would be my last vacation before I was a mother.

Mother…it was a word I dreaded applying to myself. I couldn't be a mother. I didn't feel any different from the way I did when I was sixteen, and I had certainly not been ready to be a mother then, either. What could change in ten years that could have prepared me for this? I was still Hermione. I wanted to continue to be Hermione. I didn't want to become Mummy.

But Charlie, though he was still Charlie, wanted to become Daddy. He was ready to give his life and change everything to bring someone else into the world, and he had chosen me to do it with him. I didn't know if I could do it. Could I give myself up for someone who didn't exist yet? Could I abandon my entire being if necessary to be everything that little person would need?

Needless to say, it was a restless night. Charlie slept soundly beside me and I contemplated my future as his wife, wondering if it would ever come to an end. If only Ron would come back, he could put an end to it. I finally fell asleep dreaming up ways to convince him to rescue me.

* * *

><p>The week passed with much of the same. We went for strolls along the water, sunbathed, swam, did some shopping in a nearby tourist village, and…well, <em>tried<em>. Charlie was convinced that this week was going to be the time. Any time at the cottage we weren't in the bedroom seemed like a wasted opportunity to him. The way he was going on, I was convinced this week would be the one as well.

The Sunday before we left was Harry's birthday. After several discussions, Charlie and I decided that we would stay at the cottage and wait until the following Sunday to celebrate along with the rest of the Weasleys at the Burrow, when Harry and Ginny's birthdays would be combined in one celebration. Still, I couldn't resist sending him a card, as I had done every year that I had not seen him on his actual birthday since the summer he turned twelve.

"What are you doing out of bed?" Charlie asked groggily that morning as he entered the sitting room. "It's only nine on a Sunday, and we're on holiday on top of it all."

"I was just sending Harry an owl," I told him as I scribbled his name onto an envelope at the desk. "It's his birthday, after all."

"I know," Charlie yawned. He came up behind me and started massaging my shoulders. "But we'll be seeing him next Sunday at the Burrow, remember? For his and Ginny's birthdays."

"Indeed I do," I admitted as I shoved the letter into the envelope and handed it to Polly, our screech owl. "But it's not quite the same as letting him know the day of."

Polly flew out the window and Charlie kneeled as he turned my chair around to face him. "Come back to bed." He brushed some of my hair back behind my ear. "I want to make love to you."

We kissed softly. "Again?"

"Always," he breathed against my mouth before he pulled me out of the chair and onto his lap, lowering us to the ground.

"Charlie, I'm too tired," I whined as I tried to pry him away from me gently. "Love, come on, I want to-_ouch_!" I squealed and pushed Charlie off me roughly. I sat back on my ankles and clutched my breast. "Charlie, that really hurt."

Charlie scrambled off the ground and moved closer to me. "I'm sorry, Love. I meant to be gentle. You don't usually mind when I do it."

"You were too rough that time."

"I was not. I did it the same as always."

I rolled my eyes as I could feel myself getting even more irritated. "Forget it. I'm going back to bed. I'm too exhausted." I took a few steps and hesitated before turning back. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. You know you're welcome to join me."

Charlie sighed and nodded, though he was watching me nervously. "I think I'm up for the day, honestly. Go on and get some sleep. You need to enjoy the last day of your holiday." He came forward and kissed me swiftly on the cheek before he moved into the kitchen, leaving me to stand alone, still consoling my sore breast. After I heard the tinkling of water in the tea kettle, I made my way back to the bedroom, where I fell asleep almost instantly before I had much time to feel guilty.

I got up around one and went out onto the porch, where Charlie was sitting in one of the chairs reading. I sat across from him and said guiltily, "I'm sorry I snapped earlier. I was hoping you'd come lie down with me."

Charlie motioned for me to sit with him. I sat beside him and laid my legs across his. "Don't worry about it. I was too rough." He kissed the top of my head and I leaned back against his chest.

"What are you reading?"

"Just some case studies. You might like it; they're actually quite interesting."

I could already feel my eyelids drooping. "Maybe another time."

"How are you already tired? You literally just got up."

"I don't know, but I'm exhausted. When do we have to be out of here again?"

"Tomorrow at two. Are you sure you're alright? Do you want something to eat?"

I shook my head. "Nothing sounds good right now. Maybe I'll just go back to bed. I stood up and stretched my arms out as I yawned. "Come to bed with me. I need someone to cuddle with."

Charlie smirked. "Cuddle? Is that what they call it these days?"

I rolled my eyes. "Oh, hush. Come on, it's our last day to sleep. Charlie," I whined. "Put the book down and pay attention to me."

Charlie stood up laughing. "How does that taste, that bit of your own medicine you just had?" I slapped his arm and dragged him to bed. By the time we got there, he'd taken off my top. "You're so beautiful, Hermione. I'm so lucky to have you."

I yawned again. "I don't know how lucky you're going to be in a few minutes. I might pass out in the middle of all this."

Charlie chuckled, but he wasted no time in making love to me, after which we both fell fast asleep.

* * *

><p>"Darling, wake up. We have to get going soon."<p>

I moaned and opened my eyes, feeling fresh. "What time is it?"

"Noon," Charlie announced from the closet, where he was packing away the last of his clothes. "You slept straight through the night. I can't believe it. I didn't know I could exhaust you that much." I sat up and shrugged. "You should eat something. There's some toast and eggs in the kitchen."

Despite my lack of appetite, I pulled myself out of bed and put on my robe. "I'm not ready to leave. I had too much fun."

Charlie sighed. "I know. I wish we could do this all the time. When you're done, can you clean up in there? I'll pack up your things in here."

I nodded as I ran my fingers through my messy hair. "Back to the real world we go," I mumbled grumpily. I hated the real world.

It was strange to come back home after so much time away. It no longer reeked with traces of Ron for me, though I was still having a hard time not thinking about him. Then again, when had that not been the case?

It helped that Charlie was still finding every excuse he could to seduce me. His constant arousal kept me more and more distracted, and with each time I slept with him it became harder to remember the way it had been with Ron. I was familiarizing myself with Charlie's touches and preferences all over, engraving them into my brain again and hoping they would stay.

Yet another week passed. They seemed to go quickly now, making the distance between Ron and me grow without me being able to protest. It wasn't until Sunday that I realized I had reached the biggest challenge yet, one that would make me adapt to my Ron-less world much quicker than life at work and with Charlie had been.

I was putting on makeup in our bedroom when Charlie decided to change his shirt. "George will never let me off the hook if I show up in this," he laughed as he discarded the oddly patterned shirt for a crisp white polo. I froze in the middle of applying my blush, remembering the last time I had seen George and how horrible things had been left. It was entirely my fault, but I was still upset. Things at brunch were certainly going to be awkward.

"You're sure he'll be there today?"

"Why wouldn't he be?"

I shrugged and went back to my makeup. "I don't know. I was just checking." I finished and moved on to my mascara as I tried not to stress. This would be the first time I'd be seeing most of the Weasley family since I had last seen Ron. If I was having a hard time thinking of him when it was just Charlie and me, the Burrow would certainly be my downfall.

I must have hid my nerves from Charlie well enough because within an hour we were standing in the now overgrown garden outside his childhood home. He led me inside by the hand without the slightest hesitation.

The first thing I noticed was how subdued it was in the kitchen. Bill was holding Dominique, who was fast asleep against his chest, but the rest of the children were missing. He exchanged hushed words with Harry, who sat to his right playing with his half empty glass. George sat across from him with a magazine. None of them bothered to say a word until we sat down (I made sure Charlie sat between George and me).

"Where's everyone off to?" Charlie asked George. He shook his head without looking up and Bill turned away from Harry to answer for him.

"Ginny and Angelina were diaper changing," Bill said. "But they've been out in the family room for awhile now. Teddy, Fleur, and Victoire are with them. Percy and Audrey can't make it today."

"What about Mum and Dad?"

Harry and Bill glanced at each nervously.

"Somewhere upstairs," George supplied dryly. "Probably crying their eyes out."

"George," Bill said warningly.

"You don't think that's what they're doing?" George still did not look up from the magazine. "It's what I'd be doing."

"What happened?" I asked Harry.

"Er…well, the girls were looking at some photo albums earlier." He ran a hand through his already mussed hair and sighed. "Victoire kept asking for help with the baby pictures, trying to figure out who was who. And, of course, they came across Fred and…and Ron."

Charlie's hand appeared on my knee suddenly. Grateful for his support, I squeezed his hand. "Oh, no."

"Well, it would have been fine," Bill intervened. "It was alright until Dominique asked why she had never met them. Of course, she doesn't get it, so she doesn't know any better. I don't think Victoire quite gets it either. But it broke Mum's heart."

"I can imagine it would," I said softly.

Charlie squeezed my knee again. "She'll be alright, though. She's tough, and Dad's with her."

"I think she'll be fine, personally," George announced. "She's been doing just fine the past few years, don't you think, Hermione?"

My blood started to boil and I would have snapped back had it not been for Molly returning at that precise moment, wiping the last of her tears on her apron.

"Sorry about the delay," she said cheerily. "It shouldn't be long now, since I left them cooking while I was…well, Charlie, how was your holiday?"

Arthur joined us a few minutes later, after Molly had refused my help multiple times. The rest of the wives and grandchildren appeared a few minutes before the food was ready. James insisted on sitting with Harry and wouldn't stop screaming for him until Ginny let him out of his high chair. Fred sat in his chair happily between George and Charlie, whom Victoire had insisted she sit next to. Of course, this meant Teddy had to sit beside her, which put me next to Molly and across from Angelina. My nerves dissolved into fresh guilt when, unlike George, she smiled at me and made no mention of the last time I had seen her.

Molly hopped back and forth between the counter and each end of the table, adding dishes and showering her sons and grandchildren with affection. It was awkward for me to be surrounded by Teddy and two pregnant women. I was hoping Molly could have been the buffer, but she was in her seat less frequently than Dominique, who had taken it upon herself to walk around the table and socialize throughout the entire meal.

"These eggs look scrumptious," Ginny said as she piled some onto her plate. "I've been craving them lately, eggs. Poor Harry's always out buying more because I seem to go through them all."

"Odd craving," Angelina commented as she handed me the bowl. "Usually mine involve some weird dressing or seasoning. Yours is relatively normal. You're right, though, they look amazing."

Ginny made a face and set her fork down before disposing of her eggs in her napkin. "Not mum's best," she muttered as she moved on to the bacon. Angelina frowned at her and took a small bite. Her eyes widened almost immediately and she made a quick grab for her orange juice. "So it's not just me?" Angelina shook her head.

"They're not bad, they just…something is off about them."

"Well, it hasn't exactly been an easy day for her," I reminded them. I hesitated before putting a small bite in my mouth-a decision I immediately regretted. "Oh," I said in surprise. I swallowed quickly and cleansed my taste buds with a quick swig of tea. "Well then. I see what you mean."

Ginny pouted slightly. "Oh, poor Mum. Well, everything else is _wonderful_, like always…"

The birthday cake was even delicious. I had a hard time seeing it cut since it was decorated so beautifully in red and gold. The day went fairly smoothly and I found myself breathing deep sighs of relief when Charlie suggested we head home.

"You sure don't want to stay a bit longer?" Harry asked as I hugged him goodbye. "George and I were going to go for a little walk."

I couldn't help but stiffen. "No, I don't think I will. I'd rather not deal with all of that today," I said crossly. Harry raised an eyebrow at me.

"Is something going on with you and George?" I shook my head quickly. Perhaps too quickly, because Harry glanced back at George and then looked at me even more suspiciously.

"Don't worry about it," I insisted. "Harry, you can even ask him yourself. He'll tell you the same thing." I was willing to be World Cup tickets that I was right. There was no way George would admit to Harry that he and I had had a fight, especially under the circumstances. "I'll see you for lunch tomorrow, yeah?"

Harry nodded and decided to let it go. "But you're not off the hook yet," he promised. I rolled my eyes to hide my anxiety.

Charlie and I didn't bother walking all the way to the garden to apparate. He ravished me the second we got home and slept through most of the afternoon while I got a start on his case study book, which proved to be quite interesting, just like he had said. At least, until I fell asleep at the start of the third chapter.

That afternoon, I had a nightmare for the first time since Charlie had been back. It was a little different than the others. I didn't have to watch Ron die this time. Instead, I chased him. I chased him through trees, struggling to stay close behind him. They started to get thicker, and before I knew it, Ron was far out of my reach. I could see him fading away in the distance, slipping away-

Charlie woke me up, saying I had been kicking and crying when he came downstairs. He calmed me down and made us dinner. We made love one final time before sleep overtook us again.

"No nightmares tonight," Charlie whispered into my ear. He pressed himself more firmly against my back and cradled my exhausted body in his arms. "Things are going to be good from now on, Hermione. You'll see. Everything is going to get much, much better."

* * *

><p>"I don't know. I'm just a bit under the weather. It'll be fine."<p>

Charlie stood in front of the closet buttoning his shirt as I announced my decision to go into work, despite not feeling my best. I could still give one hundred percent if I was feeling ninety. I just had to motivate myself to leave the most comfortable position I had ever been in, and I'd be set.

"Are you sure?" Charlie asked as he fiddled with his tie. I loved days when he had to go into an office setting. Something about seeing him in professional clothes was much more attractive than his usual t-shirt and jeans. Maybe it was that it was such a rare thing. Maybe it was that he reminded me a bit of Ron when he wore them, for some reason I couldn't quite figure out. I shook the thought away and massaged my closed eyes.

"Yes, everything will be alright. I'm sure I'll be fine if I just eat something."

"What do you want? I'll make you breakfast."

"Nothing sounds good," I whined. "Actually, scrambled eggs sound divine, but after your mum's yesterday, I'm not too keen on having them any time soon."

I could hear the frown in Charlie's voice. "What was wrong with Mum's cooking?"

"Nothing," I said quickly. "It was delicious, of course, except for those eggs. She was upset though, so-"

"I thought they tasted fine."

"Ugh." I threw my hands over my face again. "Weird. Maybe it was just our batch. Ginny didn't seem to take a liking to them, either, and I think Angelina was a bit put off by them."

"That may be the case, but seeing as Ginny and Angelina are both pregnant, you'll have to forgive me for dismissing their opinions on the matter."

"Oh," I said simply. He was right. Their tastes must have changed a bit by now. "You're right; I'd forgotten that part of it. Maybe I'll just have some toast. Do we have any grape jam left, or is it just straw-Charlie, why are you looking at me like that?"

I had uncovered my eyes to see Charlie standing over me, his tie still in one hand, grinning like a madman. I knew he wasn't excited about me letting him make my toast. "Hermione…"

I waited for him to continue, but nothing happened. "I don't get it. Did I miss something?"

He grinned even wider. "It tasted fine to me. It tasted funny to them…because they're pregnant."

I nodded. "Yes." He still said nothing else. "Is there more? I understand that they-oh." Unlike Charlie's face, mine fell quickly. My heartbeat nearly doubled and I could feel my face growing warmer. A little buzzing filled my ears. "You think…you think we're having a baby."

Charlie nodded excitedly. "You've been exhausted lately. You're not feeling too well now, and this isn't the first time. Remember when I thought I was being too rough with you last Sunday? You must just be sensitive right now. And the eggs-they probably tasted funny to you because-"

"But it's too soon," I interjected quickly. "I mean, it would be two weeks along at most. I don't think I'd already being showing so many signs of-"

"No, no, it's perfect," Charlie insisted. "Most symptoms usually show up between two to eight weeks after conception, and some even earlier than that."

I shook my head at him. "Would I be able to feel it? Don't I get some sort of instinct? Isn't there something that tells my body there's someone else in it?"

"That's what symptoms do, darling."

"No, I mean like a mental instinct, not a physical one."

I didn't know why I was fighting Charlie so hard on this. He had a fairly convincing argument and the evidence all added up to support it. A few weeks prior, I had thought that this was what I wanted. I was ready to start a family with Charlie and move on. Even while we were on holiday, the task seemed manageable. Now that it was staring me in the face, it seemed daunting and unreasonable. I was scared. I wasn't ready to have a baby. Not now, and not with Charlie.

"You're right. It's pretty quick to make an accurate call," Charlie admitted. He stroked my hair lovingly and continued to stare down at me, looking as though he was going to explode and shower the room with excitement. "But make an appointment, okay? Promise me you'll get it checked out. Your period's not due for nearly another week, and I don't think I can wait that long to find out for sure."

I nodded stiffly and tried to smile. It probably came out as more of a grimace because Charlie laughed and kissed my forehead. "I'll get started on that toast. Don't worry, Love. Everything is going to be fantastic. I can feel it. I think we really made a baby."

As he left the room whistling, I felt my body flood with dread and fear. It wasn't right. It wasn't how one was supposed to feel about having a baby with their husband. What was it about having a baby that scared me so much more now than it had when I'd talked it over with Harry?

And then it hit me. Ron hadn't been in the picture then. If I'd had a baby with Charlie before, it would have made no difference. As far as I had known, I was going to be with Charlie for the rest of my life, and children would just have been bonuses to add well deserved cheer. Now, I knew Ron was alive. I knew that, despite his best efforts, he was out there and that there was a possibility we would meet again. Every piece of me still hoped he would come back and whisk me away. If I was just Hermione, I could go with him. If I was Hermione, the mother of Charlie's children, I'd be stuck watching him leave without me again and again. As much as I loved Ron, there was no way I could leave my own baby.

_If there even is a baby,_ a hopeful voice in the back of my brain whispered.

I was distracted the entire day. I was glad I had a light load at work. It took me all the way to lunch to get through my morning paperwork, which would normally have taken me two hours at the most. I didn't listen to Harry much during our break. He drawled on about James and some of the highlights of adorable things he'd done over the past week. Before I stopped back in the office, I bought five bottles of water from a vending machine in a Muggle store down the block from the entrance to the Ministry. Harry didn't question me, but he did make some sort of joke I was far too distracted to understand.

In fact, everything was getting harder and harder to comprehend. I chugged the bottles towards the end of my shift as I scribbled quick responses into reports and filed them away, all the while watching every clock in the room.

When five o'clock finally arrived, I flew out of the Ministry and apparated to an alley three blocks from my parents' house. I stopped at a drugstore and walked hastily to my old home, partly because I was dying of anxiety, and partly because my bladder was ready to burst.

"Muuuuum," I called after I slammed the door behind me. The tiny, square entrance hall was mostly taken up by the staircase that led up to my childhood bedroom, as well as many others. It was odd to be standing here in my work clothes, an adult, with a bag full of items I had never given much thought to in the place where I had grown up.

"In the kitchen," she called back. I walked passed staircase and through the doorway on the right. She was standing over a pot of boiling water with a skinned potato in one hand and a knife in the other. "Were we expecting you? I'm sorry, I don't know why I for-"

"This is a surprise visit," I said solemnly. "You didn't forget anything, trust me."

Mum finished her potato and looked up me with a broad smile that drooped when she saw the box I had pulled out of my bag. "Have you forgotten where the toilet is already?" She started to grab a glass from the cabinet above her.

"I've already had five bottles, Mum," I sighed. "I know, I just…can I have a bit of moral support here?"

She looked torn. "Well, you know I'd be very excited if this turned out positive," she admitted, pointing at my pregnancy test. "But I didn't think you wanted children at the moment."

I shook my head. "No. Yes. I don't know. Charlie and I have been trying, but…he wants this much more than I do. And I've only been off the pill since we went on holiday. That's, what, two weeks? Can you tell that early?"

Mum shrugged. "These tests are pretty high-tech nowadays. I imagine they'll have one that can tell you the second after you have sex in a few years. Why didn't you tell me you were trying? You know I wouldn't have pressured you about it."

It was my turn to shrug. "It wasn't something I really wanted to discuss, and I haven't seen you lately."

"Yes, it was particularly hard to get in touch with you while Charlie was gone, which I find odd since-"

"Mum, I really have to pee."

She laughed and started on another potato. "Go on, then." I grabbed my bag and raced away. "Well, did you buy out the store?" she shrieked after me.

I sat on the toilet and dumped the other four boxes on the floor in front of me. After a deep breath, I carefully put the tests to use. The boxes had all said to wait five minutes, so I went back to the kitchen and dragged my mother back with me.

"I want to make sure that whatever I end up seeing isn't some sort of illusion," I argued as I pushed her along in front of me. "You look first."

Mum shook her head. "Hermione, you're a big girl, and this is your news to find out. You look first. I'll look, but you have to do it first."

I whimpered and stepped forward to where I had carefully laid them all out. "Do you think it's been five minutes yet?"

"I think you spent five minutes just convincing me to come in here," Mum retorted. "Dear, I'm dying of curiosity. Will you please just look?"

I took a deep breath and examined the first test. And the second. Another three examinations of all five tests later, I looked up at my mum, hoping for some sort of reaction that would tell me what to feel. She slung her arm around my shoulders and pulled me to her side. "How do you feel?" she asked softly, rubbing my arm.

I gulped. "I don't know. I'm not sure what to think."

"You're shaking a bit."

"Am I?" I looked down at my hands. My fingers were definitely vibrating of their own accord. "Oh. I…oh."

"Hermione, it's not the end of the world, I promise."

I shook my head at her words. Finally, I felt something. A tear moved from the corner of my eye and down my cheek, almost gracefully. Then came another. "Mum…I don't…what am I supposed to feel right now?"

She kissed my temple. "Mortified. Sad. But at least a little bit elated."

"Well…two out of three." Mum chuckled. "Does that make me a bad person?"

"Nah. It'll come in the next few days, once it sinks in. Oh, Hermione." She sniffed and pulled me into one of her warm hugs that I craved so often these days. "My baby's going to have a baby. I can't believe it."

She wasn't the only one. My heart was hammering and the rest of me felt completely numb. I was pregnant.

Charlie and I were having a baby.

I tried to feel something more than the gloom and shock that were controlling every aspect of my being, but I couldn't manage. I could barely breathe. Babies were supposed to make people happy. People were supposed to be thrilled when they had children, especially their first. But did most people still feel like their sixteen-year-old selves when they became pregnant? I still felt like a child myself. My mum was right. I was a baby having a baby, and it felt absolutely wrong. I felt even worse as the dreaded thought echoed through the chambers of my brain, causing me to pour tears onto my mother's shoulder shamelessly.

_I'm stuck_, I thought over and over again._ No matter what happens, I'm stuck until my dying day._

I'd thought Ron had decided my fate when he refused to take me with him, but I was sorely mistaken. There had always been that chance that we would meet again and that things could go back to the way they should have been. No, Ron hadn't decided my fate for me. It was this baby. This baby had decided where I belonged.

This baby was going to keep me from Ron for the rest of my life.

* * *

><p><em>Do the things that you always wanted to<em>_.  
>Without me there to hold you back, don't think, just do.<br>More than anything I want to see you, girl  
>Take a glorious bite out of the whole world.<em>

* * *

><p>AN: Ready? Set? REVIEW!

Sorry if this was emotional. I don't know. I did most of this writing when I was sleep deprived, or I might have cried. Maybe that's just me.

Oh, and we're far from over. I'd say we're...maybe...not quite halfway...? I need to fix up that outline and let you know.

PS-This is still a Ron-centric fic. Don't get too worried, chaps. XOXO

-VK


	12. The Moment I Said It

A/N: Oh, I miss Ron…so the next chapter will be in his POV. (does victory dance)

It's about to get intense, guys. I don't even care that I didn't get as many reviews as I wanted (this is what I get for setting goals).

And everyone who was pissed about the "love holiday" is going to love this chapter. LOVE. (I'm not being sarcastic though; I'm very serious.)

And I didn't plan for this chapter to be so long. It just kinda happened. Oh well.

Imogen Heap-The Moment I Said It

* * *

><p><em>The <em>_moment __I __said __it,__  
>The <em>_moment __I __opened __my __mouth,__  
>Lead <em>_in __your __eyelids  
>Bulldozed <em>_the __life __out __of __me._

_I know __what __you're __thinking,  
><em>_But __darling, __you're __not __thinking __straight.  
><em>_Suddenly __things __just __happen __we __can't __explain._

* * *

><p>I got home a little after seven. Charlie was sitting on the couch leisurely with a plate of Chinese food, watching some game show.<p>

"There's more in the kitchen," he said as he took a bite, eyes glued to the screen. "Might have to be heated up though. You okay?"

I stood in the doorway and stared at him. I wasn't okay. I was supposed to be, but I didn't feel okay in the slightest. This was my life. This was my life, and it was going to be my life for years to come. The realization had never hit me so hard before. The past few weeks had been numb and foggy. I felt like I was waking up from a long nap, finally seeing reality for what it was.

"Hermione?" Charlie asked cautiously. "What's going on?"

_There__'__s __someone __living __inside __me, __that__'__s __what__'__s __going __on_, I wanted to snap. I could barely open my mouth, much less get out the words. I clutched my stomach and moved my mouth, willing the words to fall out. Charlie's eyes widened. "Oh my gosh. Are you-are we-Hermione?"

Defeated, I nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, I am."

He looked at me for minute before he threw his food down on the coffee table and practically ran at me. In just seconds, he was kissing me and crying, hugging me and rubbing my stomach. I was glad he was so excited. I hoped his enthusiasm would make up for my lack of feeling. "This is wonderful," Charlie exclaimed again and again. He kept saying that word. "Baby." I felt ill.

"I need to lie down," I mumbled, finally breaking away from him.

"Why don't I help you upstairs?" Charlie suggested. "Are you sure you don't want something to eat? Oh, how was the appointment? I didn't think you'd get one so early."

"I didn't have an appointment," I growled as I climbed to our room. "I took some of those drug store tests."

"What? No, you need a real appointment. There are vitamins you have to take, and things you can't have, and you have to make sure everything is going well."

"We can't be more than two weeks in."

"Exactly. We should get a start now, for the sake of the baby." I turned around and looked down at Charlie, who was a few steps behind me. The concern and love in his eyes nearly broke me, because I felt absolutely none of it. "Why don't I go and schedule you an appointment? Go and lie down. You might have to use a sick day, but-"

"Whatever works," I muttered quickly. "I'm going to bed."

Hurt colored Charlie's face. "Hermione, what's wrong? Aren't you-aren't you happy? I thought this was what we wanted."

I wanted to laugh in his face. What _we_ wanted? No, this was what _he_ wanted. And it was what was _expected_ of me. I wasn't ready to be a parent. I didn't _want_ to be a parent. Not now, and not ever with him. Everything was wrong. We weren't even supposed to be married. We were supposed to be in-laws, and I wasn't supposed to be carrying his child, but here we were. How could I be happy when everything had become so twisted and warped?

"It hasn't sunk in yet," I said finally. "I just need some time. Why wouldn't I want this?"

I wished he would have answered that question. I kept asking it to myself again and again. Why wouldn't I want a baby? Why wouldn't I want the perfect distraction?

Charlie blew air out of his mouth and scratched the back of his head nervously. "Are you sure? You know, we can talk about this. You're going to be a great mother."

I tried not to scoff at him. "We can talk later," I told him, placing a hand on his cheek. I couldn't stand him staring at me like that. "Just go on and be excited for the both of us for now. And make that appointment."

Charlie nodded and sighed. "Whatever you say, Love. I can't believe it." The smile returned to his face. "A baby. We're really going to have a baby." He kissed me swiftly and went back downstairs. I made my way to bed, where I lied awake for hours, asking myself the same questions over and over.

* * *

><p>"<em>Wow<em>."

Harry grinned from ear to ear when I told him the news. I smiled stiffly while he congratulated me. He was the first person other than Charlie and my parents to know, and all of them had been bursting with excitement. I had hoped against hope that Harry would be the opposite and at least show a little empathy, but no such luck. He babbled on about how close in age our kids would be, and how they might be in the same Hogwarts house and graduate together. I gave up on trying to nod and chuckle at the appropriate times and tuned him out.

"Hermione?" Harry's hand broke me out of my thoughts when it wiggled in front of my eyes. "What's going on up there?"

I scowled at his fingers as they disappeared from my vision. "What're you getting in my face for?"

Harry looked taken aback. "I kept saying your name, and you weren't answering. Is something wrong? Was it something I said?"

I shook my head. "No. I have absolutely no idea what you just said, and I'm not in the mood to ask you to repeat it, either." A flash of fury moved through Harry's eyes and I suddenly felt very heavy all over. I started to cry. "Harry, something's wrong with me."

Harry looked unsure of what to do. I wiped my eyes quickly and apologized. "It's just hormones, I'm sure," Harry muttered. I shook my head.

"It's nothing like that. Everyone…everyone's so happy. This is supposed to be the best thing that's ever happened to me. I'm supposed to be jumping up and down with joy, but…"

"You're indifferent?" Harry supplied.

"I wish. I…I don't want it, Harry. I don't want this baby."

I felt relieved the moment I said it. I didn't want this baby. This baby was trapping me into something just as I was realizing that it wasn't the something I wanted. Harry didn't seem to understand that. He gaped at me much like he had the day I first tried to get the prophecy out of him, when I had made that insensitive remark about Ron not being around. I hated myself for saying it now.

"Hermione, I know it's scary," Harry said finally. "Believe me; even after having James, I'm scared to death of having this next one. But it's so worth it. And if I can do it, then you can. You're going to be a fantastic mother. Don't shake your head, you are."

"It's not about that. That's not what I'm afraid of at all. I don't want to be trapped."

Harry tilted his head to the side. "Trapped? How are you going to be trapped?"

I gulped. "I don't know if this is what I want anymore. No, not just the baby. I know I don't want the baby. I mean, I can't do anything about it now, but the baby just complicates everything. I don't know if I can spend the rest of my life with Charlie. I don't think I can. I know I can't."

I don't think I had ever shocked Harry so badly in his life. He was staring at me like I was the ghost of Christmas past. "Hermione, I think you just need to take time to let this all sink in."

"No, don't you get it?" I squeaked. "I can't do this. I can't take care of someone else when I'm falling to pieces. And Charlie is so excited, and I can't even stand to be near him anymore. I almost slept in the guest room last night. I…I don't know what's happening to me. I'm a horrible person, Harry, I'm horrible."

I was glad that his office was practically empty today during lunch. For the first time since I'd found out I was pregnant, I sobbed. Once I started, I couldn't control myself. Harry held me, trying to calm me down. He kept telling me what a wonderful mother I would be, how my hormones were probably going into overdrive, how everything would get better over the next few weeks.

"And you should make a doctor's appointment," Harry suggested. "Once you go through that, it will seem more real. And that will be a good thing, trust me," Harry added quickly. "Especially when you finally get to see it. You don't know love until you see your child, Hermione. Trust me. You'll be excited then."

I didn't want to argue with him about it. If anything, seeing the baby would just make things worse. "I have one on Thursday afternoon. I'm taking off work after lunch."

"Good," Harry said enthusiastically. "Excellent. The doctors will be able to get rid of most of your fears, I'm sure of it."

I sniffed. "Will you go with me? Charlie has to work and…and I don't really want him there." I sobbed again. "Harry, I'm a nightmare. Charlie's so excited, and I don't even want him there. When did I become such a-such a-_you __know_."

Harry shook his head. "You're pregnant. You're allowed to bitchy, to an extent."

"This is far past the extent," I cried. "Most women don't want to leave their husbands when they get pregnant. Most women are excited and cry because they're worried about the baby, not themselves. I'm just a horrible, selfish person. I don't deserve a baby. I don't deserve Charlie. Why can't he go find someone who wants his baby?"

Harry sighed, very unsure of what to say. "Look, you keep thinking about all that, but don't make any rash decisions just yet. And I'll go with you Thursday."

I looked up at him tearfully. "Really? You will?"

Harry nodded. "Of course. You can't go on your own. And it's probably better for you not to take Charlie when you're…well, while you're _confused_."

Confused didn't even begin to cover it. "Oh, Harry, you're the best," I squealed as I hugged him. "Thank you so much. You have no idea how much it means to me that you'll be there."

"Don't worry about it," Harry said as he rubbed my back. "Ginny's appointment is Thursday morning anyway, so I'll already be off for the day. Why don't we go and then have you and Charlie over for dinner after? It's Ginny's birthday after all, and I think she'd like to see the both of you."

I sighed and nodded. "That would be lovely. Harry, I'm sorry I sort of exploded on you just now." I pulled away and wiped my eyes hastily. "Oh, I'm a mess. And it's just the beginning, isn't it?"

Harry chuckled and nodded. "The tip of the iceberg. But don't worry. Everything's going to work out."

I wanted to believe him, but I knew I couldn't. I was reminded of this when I went home that night and nearly walked right back out the door the second I stepped inside. Charlie was already home. He greeted me excitedly and asked what I wanted to eat. Every step I took seemed to be accompanied by another question. Was I comfortable? Did my ankles hurt? Did I feel nauseas? Should I lie down?

"Stop," I finally snapped. I couldn't take another second of his voice at this rate. "Charlie, shut up, or I'll hex you. I'm fine. I'm not a bloody time bomb. Dear Merlin."

He knew I was angry because that was the only time I ever swore. Surprisingly, he didn't let it go.

"Excuse me for looking after you," Charlie growled. "I don't know what's going on with you. It would help if you answered me when I asked what you needed."

"You're acting like I'm made of glass," I shrieked at him. "I'm not going to break. I'm just pregnant. There's a bloody difference. God, if this is what the next nine months are going to be like, just shoot me now. I can't take it."

Charlie stared at me in awe. I sighed and rubbed my temples. "I don't know what came over me. I'm sorry, I…just give me some space, okay?" I opened my eyes. Charlie was still staring at me, shocked. Without a word, he walked into the kitchen. As soon as I heard him gathering pots and pans together, I went upstairs and locked myself in the bedroom. I couldn't stand to be anywhere near him.

It went like that for the rest of the week. Charlie was walking on eggshells whenever he was around me, and the only time he seemed to speak to me was to ask how I was feeling. I did my best not to snap at him, but I couldn't help but be sharp and cold with most of my answers. On Wednesday night, I got up at about two in the morning and slept in the guest bedroom. It was hard to be around Charlie and not lose my wits, even when he was sleeping.

I hadn't been in the guest room since Ron had been there. I wrapped myself in the blankets and tried not to think about him, but it was impossible. I could almost feel his arms around me, or his fingers running along my bare arms in the middle of the night. Tears leaked out of my eyes until I finally drifted off.

* * *

><p>Charlie was already gone when I got up for work Thursday morning. I was brushing my hair when I remembered that I had my doctor appointment later that afternoon. I shuddered at the thought and shakily finished preparing for the day. I distracted myself with the many reports Edgar had assigned me as punishment for taking another day off so soon after my holiday. I didn't take lunch because my appointment was at two and I was let off at one. It didn't matter much because I barely touched the food I bought and ended up throwing out most of the meal before I dashed off to meet Harry at St. Mungo's.<p>

I was unsure about going to St. Mungo's for something that seemed so _ordinary_, but Harry assured me it was the best place to be. They had charms and potions that did things Muggles dreamed of having at times such as these. I had only ever been to that hospital when there was some sort of magical damage to someone I knew; I didn't even know that they had a maternity ward.

We were directed into one of the examination rooms almost immediately. "What do they do?" I asked Harry. "I'm not even sure how these visits go for Muggles. Of course, those are all the things I've read about, are the Muggle things. I haven't the slightest clue what I'm getting into."

"Well," Harry said slowly, scratching his head. He looked like I had just asked him for instructions on a second year potion. "Hmm…I guess they start off by testing you."

"Testing?"

"Yeah, they just collect a sample-you have to pee into a phial or something. I know, disgusting. But they use some sort of potions to test it. They can get loads of information out of it."

I cocked my head to the side as he picked up an outdated copy of Witch Weekly. "What kinds of information? Do I get to know the sex?"

Harry frowned. "I don't think so. Not with the urine sample, anyway, or this early on. Don't you want to be surprised?"

I shook my head. "No, I want to be prepared. Neutral colors can only get you so far, you know."

Harry chuckled and nodded. "Right. Well, it can't tell you that, but it'll tell you if you really are pregnant, and if so, how far along you are, and it might pick up complications. If there are any, that is," he added quickly. I felt guilty for not being very concerned when he said this. He must have realized this because he said,"Look, Hermione, I know you're not exactly thrilled about this baby right now, but you will be. Trust me, when you first get to see him or her, and hear their little heart beat, and know that you created it…you'll fall in love."

I smiled at the impact fatherhood had had on my best friend. "When do I get to see it?"

"I think once you're five or six weeks along," Harry said. 'Not sure. They can do it pretty early on here. Of course, there's not much to look at, but they can get the heartbeat."

"I read the other day that the heart starts beating around the fifth week," I said. I had been reading in what little spare time I had the past few days, trying to prepare myself for this appointment. "Of course, it can't be picked up for awhile longer with Muggle ultrasounds. Some people don't hear the heartbeat for a few months."

"Well, with the Wizarding equipment, you can hear it as soon as it starts. At least in most cases. It's got to be five or six weeks," Harry said. "That's how it was with James and this one, anyway; as soon as it started, we could hear the heartbeat."

I nodded and bit my lip. It'd be awhile before I had a chance to fall in love with this poor child. I felt so much pity for it; especially that it was stuck with me for its mother, someone who was so torn up about its existence.

There was a soft knock on the door and a middle-aged healer popped her graying head inside. "Mrs. Weasley?" I nodded and she slid inside, closing the door behind her. "Excellent. So you believe yourself to be pregnant?" I nodded again. "What, cat got your tongue? I'm Healer Bronston, by the way. Well, first things first. I need you to-Mr. Potter; I didn't even see you there! Weren't you just in here with your wife ear-"

"I'm here for moral support," Harry told her quickly. "Hermione's my sister-in-law, and one of my best friends."

"My husband's at work," I said emotionlessly.

Healer Bronston nodded. "I see. Well, as I was saying, if you'll just take these phials into the bathroom with you…" She handed me two thin glass phials and opened the door for me. I followed her out with a final look of fear at Harry. "Just fill them up and then take them down the hall to the desk. I'll meet you back in your room as soon as they've been tested."

I did as she instructed, as disgusting as I found it, and dropped the tubes off to be tested. The whole way back to my room, I felt like I was walking to my execution. Harry and I sat in almost complete silence for about fifteen minutes before Healer Bronston came back with a bright smile.

"Well, congratulations," she said much too cheerily. "You're officially pregnant." A younger healer followed her in, wheeling in a table with what looked like some sort of computer on it. "Oh, don't worry; we're just going to use this to have a quick look."

"That's what I was telling you about," Harry whispered to me as they set up their machine. "It's one of those ultrasound devices, but they've fixed it up with magic. Much more advanced. Funny, I didn't think they could look at them this early on. You've got to be, what, about-"

"Two or three weeks," I hissed at him. "Yes, it does seem a bit early for all this, doesn't it? Can they even see anything?"

"Lie back, Mrs. Weasley, and I need you to lift up your shirt." I did as she instructed, fingers shaking all the while. She poured a sticky purple potion onto her hands and rubbed it on my abdomen. I jumped slightly at first. It was cold and unpleasant feeling.

"Disgusting," I whined when she had finished. "Is this supposed to help you see?"

Healer Bronson nodded. "Yes, it's odd, isn't it? The things these Muggles invent…well, anyway. Your due date, according to our tests, is April seventh. You're five weeks along." She grabbed a plastic wand that was attached to the machine and moved it along my gel covered skin. "So that should mean-ah, yes."

A tiny whooshing sound found my ears and would not let go. I felt mesmerized by the sound. A second later, a tiny blob appeared on the screen.

It was my baby.

"Not much to look at," the younger healer admitted. He smiled cheerfully. "But you can hear its heartbeat."

Overwhelmed, I looked over at Harry. He was standing behind me and staring at the screen with a frown. "Harry?" He didn't look at me.

"I…I didn't think it happened that quickly. How far along did you say?"

"Five weeks," Healer Bronston repeated as she glanced at her chart. "The heart starts beating right around now. It's nothing out of the ordinary."

I lied back against the chair and stared at the screen. I touched my fingers just above the plastic wand, trying to comprehend that right there, inside of me was another person-most especially that it was my child. I was transfixed by the blob, trying to figure out how it could morph into a more human shape over the following months.

"Hermione, I thought you said two weeks."

I snapped out of my daze immediately and looked up at Harry. "What?"

"You said two or three weeks," Harry said slowly. "But according to the test, you're five."

I frowned. Harry was right. "Oh, Healer Bronston, that can't be true. There must be a mistake."

"No, there's no mistake," the older witch said with a confused smile. "Not only did our test confirm it, but we wouldn't have a visual or heartbeat at two weeks. Not even at three."

I shook my head at her. "No. I had my period more recently than that." The younger healer raised one of his eyebrows. "Nearly four weeks ago. There's no way I can five weeks along."

"Well, it sounds like a bit of implantation bleeding," Healer Bronston explained cheerfully. Harry and I exchanged confused looks. "It's not a very common thing, but some woman experience light bleeding about a week to two weeks after it happens. It means the fertilized egg's reached its mark. And some women do experience bleeding at the beginning. Was it lighter than usual?"

"Well, yes, but not by much, and it lasted about six days."

"And did it happen a little earlier than you usually get your cycle?"

"Only by a few days," I said in exasperation. "But there's no way-"

"No, it sounds about right," the wizard healer interrupted. "It's a symptom of pregnancy. A rare one, but it's a symptom all the same. And that baby is definitely at five weeks."

Healer Bronston made some notes on her clipboard as she examined the screen. Confused, I lied back against the chair again. I'd been pregnant all this time? I had never known someone could get their period while they were pregnant. I imagined telling Charlie that I had been pregnant even longer than I'd originally thought. I could already hear his voice questioning me, wondering why I hadn't known already and lecturing me with all the potential consequences of not seeking out a healer sooner.

Five weeks. I had told Charlie a year could make a world of difference, and here was just five weeks turning my world upside down. Six weeks ago, I hadn't been a mother yet. My body had belonged to only me. I closed my eyes and tried to remember the last few days I'd spent baby free.

Six weeks ago…I had been working. The Goblin negotiations were still going on with no end in sight. I had been trying to get out of Harry why he was working with Malfoy. Charlie had been in Romania, and Ron-

I opened my eyes quickly and looked back at the screen. That little blob was five weeks old. Five weeks ago, Ron had still been around.

I tried to speak, but instead, I only made some sort of noise that resembled a whimper. The other three turned to me. "F-five weeks?" I squeaked.

Healer Bronston nodded. "Five weeks, to the day." I gulped. Five weeks ago to the day…that was the night Ron and I had…but it couldn't be.

"But I was taking birth control," I whispered, shaking my head. "I didn't stop until after this last period. I used the spells, everything."

"No form of birth control is one hundred percent effective," the young healer said.

"Five weeks ago," Harry said quietly so that only I could hear, "I thought Charlie was in Romania. Did he visit you? Is that why you wouldn't let me over that night? You should have just told me. You know I wouldn't have blabbed about him skiving off for a few hours to see you."

I shook my head desperately. "No, no, no. It's impossible. It's not…it can't…"

Healer Bronston looked up at me over her chart with a frown. "Is something wrong, dear?"

I searched for words and found none. "Hermione?" Harry asked. "What's going on?"

I sat up and looked at the tiny dot that was my child. The whooshing sound of its heartbeat hypnotized me again. For the first time, I smiled. I suddenly knew exactly what Harry was talking about. I was falling madly in love with my baby.

With Ron's baby.

By some miracle, I had been blessed with his child. That one weekend had given me a piece of Ron to keep forever. The little girl I had always imagined might be real after all. But if she was real…there was the prophecy to deal with. April seventh wasn't very far off from March.

"Hermione?" Harry asked again.

"Beautiful," I breathed. "Breathtaking. Oh, Merlin, it's just lovely."

"Er, yeah, sure." Harry laughed. "I told you you'd fall in love. I wonder what Charlie thinks it is. He'll probably want a boy. But he's so good with Victoire and Dom-hey, what's wrong?"

Stupidly, I had forgotten about Charlie for a few brief moments. I shifted my eyes up to Harry guiltily. "N-nothing." I knew he saw through it.

"Well, Mrs. Weasley, that's really all we have for today. I've written you some prescriptions for vitamin potions and things to help with the morning sickness. Do you have any other questions?"

I stared at my baby a final time and shook my head. It was too much to take in. My baby was Ron's. I was having his child, just as I had always wanted. I wasn't stuck with Charlie, but I had put my baby in danger just by creating it. I tried not to think about the prophecy as I cleaned the goop off my stomach and collected my prescriptions. Harry took me to the apothecary in Diagon Alley and didn't say another word until we were back at his home later in the afternoon.

"Hermione," he said cautiously after he stepped out of the fireplace. I set my bags down on the kitchen counter and busied myself by examining their contents. "We need to talk."

"Go ahead," I said quickly. "I'm just going to sort through these ingredients before-Harry, what are you doing?" He grabbed both of my arms and steered me out of the kitchen and down the hall to his office. It reminded me of the Gryffindor common room. It was painted red and had a dark hardwood floor covered in a scarlet and gold rug. He sat down behind his desk with his back to the window and motioned for me to sit in one of the many armchairs. I levitated one across from him and sat with my arms folded across my chest.

Harry sighed. "I don't want you to be offended," he began slowly. "But you have to understand my concern, especially after this appointment and our conversation the other day." I nodded for him to go on. "Is this Charlie's baby?"

I swallowed nervously and felt the blood rush to my face. Harry was very observant. I should have expected him to figure out my secret. But how could I get around telling him the whole truth?

"I…Harry…" I faltered. He frowned, already knowing the answer. "But there's so much more to it than you know."

"I can't believe it," Harry breathed. "You're the last person I ever expected…what happened? Why? _Who_?"

"There's more to it," I repeated. "But I can't…Harry, I can't tell you."

Harry looked angry. I remembered all the times I had tried to get everything out of Ron and felt horrible that I couldn't explain. "You can't tell me? Hermione, this is serious. You've been acting strange the past few weeks, and I know I'm not the only one who's concerned about you. You have to be honest with me. I just want to help you."

I shook my head at him. "I understand, but I don't think there's anything you can do to help me."

"Are you staying with Charlie?"

"No. I can't ask him to raise a child that isn't his."

"Then what about the father? Are you going to be with him?"

I frowned. "I can't be. No, it'll just be me and the baby, I suppose."

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard," Harry growled. "And I don't think it's true. He can get you pregnant, but he can't be there for you and his child?"

"There's more to-"

"Is he married?" Harry asked. "Is that the problem? Did you sleep with a married man?"

"Harry, don't, please."

"Where is he?" Harry asked again. "I'll rip him limb from limb if you want me to."

I shook my head. "No, Harry, he doesn't even know. Just stop it." Tears were prickling the corners of my eyes, threatening to escape.

"He doesn't…well, aren't you going to tell him?" I shrugged. "Come on, Hermione. You've got to tell the bloke he's got a child on the way, especially if you're leaving your husband over it. He might want to be part of its life."

"He won't," I muttered. "He can't be."

Harry kneeled in front of me. "Hermione, tell me who it is. We can try to fix this. Somehow, we can make things better. You just have to tell me who did it."

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," I whispered carefully. The tears finally started to pour down my face.

"Hey," Harry said soothingly. "It's going to be okay."

I shook my head. "It's not. I've done a horrible thing. I've done something horrible to my child before it was even born."

"It might not be the most ideal situation," Harry admitted. "But you love this baby. I can tell already that you do. That's all it'll need, Hermione. It needs a loving mother and family, and your baby will have all of that. I promise." I shook my head. I had to tell him somehow, but I couldn't figure out exactly what to say.

"It's not about that," I choked. "It's so much worse. It's…oh, Merlin." I wiped my face and stopped crying. "Look, Harry, we _do_ need to talk, but it has to be later. I don't think you'll believe anything I have to say as it is. Can we wait until I figure things out with Charlie?"

Harry sighed and gave in. "I guess. If you think that's what you need, then I'll wait. But we _will_ discuss this, Hermione." I reassured him we would talk and asked if I could lie down in his spare room before dinner.

I didn't sleep at all. I stared at the ceiling and traced my fingers across my stomach, imagining the tiny baby growing inside me. It was Ron's. The idea of carrying his child filled me with so much joy that I thought I would burst. At the same time, I couldn't stop worrying. This was exactly what Ron had been trying to avoid, and we had ruined it. It seemed that all of his scheming had gone to waste.

George and Angelina arrived at Harry's with Fred just before Charlie. The two young boys conversed in gibberish while Ginny filled us in on her appointment. "What about yours, Hermione? How'd it go?"

George choked on his butterbeer. "Appointment?" he spluttered. "What for?"

I hesitated, but Charlie blurted, "She's pregnant! We're having a baby."

I bit my bottom lip and watched George's reaction carefully. He looked back and forth between the two of us blankly and then smiled. It appeared to be genuine.

"That's great, Charlie. Congratulations. You're going to make wonderful parents, the pair of you."

I frowned at him and he looked away quickly.

I remained cheerful through Ginny's birthday dinner by thinking about my new discovery. I felt guilty sitting next to Charlie all night, knowing that I would have to tell him soon. We didn't leave until about nine o'clock. I gathered up my things and Harry whispered for me to let him know as soon as I was ready to talk when he hugged me goodbye.

I insisted on hugging George before we left, much to his confusion. "It's not Charlie's," I hissed in his ear. I felt him tense when I said it.

"I'll take care of it," he whispered back. He let go and told Angelina it was time for them to get Fred home as Charlie and I made out way into the backyard and disapparated.

* * *

><p>"Geez, these bags are heavy," Charlie commented as we walked through the woods and into the clearing where out home sat. "What all did you get?"<p>

"I got enough supplies for my entire pregnancy," I told him. "I didn't want to have to keep going back when I ran out. There are only one or two things that need to be picked up monthly, and I didn't want to deal with everything else when I went to get them."

Charlie nodded and smiled. "It's still surreal to me. I can't believe we're having a baby." My heart jolted in my chest. "This is fantastic. I bet it's a boy. I'm hoping so, at least. What do you think, Hermione?"

I bit my bottom lip nervously. I couldn't do this. I couldn't participate in this kind of conversation with him if I knew the truth.

"Charlie, I can't be with you anymore."

Charlie stopped and gave me an incredulous look. Then he laughed.

"Hermione, I know your hormones are all out of whack, but this is a bit too far, don't you think?"

I shook my head. "This hasn't got anything to do with hormones. Well, maybe they're finally giving me the courage to do it, but this has been on my mind for awhile. I…I can't stay married to you."

I couldn't quite describe the look on Charlie's face. Most of all, he was angry. I could see it coursing through his body as steam practically shot out of his ears. But his eyes…there was so much pain there. I had crossed some sort of line, but it was one that I had been standing on the edge of for months now.

"You're just giving up on our marriage?" Charlie deadpanned. "You're not going to bother telling me what's wrong, or give me a chance to fix what it is that you can't take anymore? You're just going to up and leave, is that it?"

I shook my head. "It's not something you can fix. It's me. It's entirely me. You're perfect. You're amazing. You're…you're not for me. You deserve someone who can give you all of that in return. I'm not that girl, Charlie."

Charlie snorted and set off towards the house again. "I can't believe you're saying this right now. We've just had our wedding anniversary, our first one, two months ago, and you're just going to leave me for no good reason, and take our baby-"

"It's not yours."

Charlie stopped dead in his tracks. He was staring ahead with an angry expression frozen on his features. Very slowly, he turned his head to look at me. "What did you just say?"

There was really no going back now.

I took a deep breath. "It's not your baby. I-I cheated on you. It happened when you were in Romania. It was horrible of me, and wrong, but I did it nonetheless. I can't do anything about it now, especially now that there's a baby involved. I'm sorry, Charlie. I never wanted to hurt you."

Charlie's took a step towards me. "You never wanted…oh, Merlin. Tell me this is some kind of twisted joke, Hermione."

I shook my head wildly. "It's not. I wish I could say it was, but it's not."

The anger disappeared from his face, replaced by fresh agony. "So whose is it then?"

"Does it really matter?" I asked hesitantly.

Charlie sighed. "Was it some sort of one night stand? Did you get sick of waiting for me to get back, is that what it was? So you just went out and found someone who could hold you over while I was gone, and-"

"It's nothing like that," I choked out.

Charlie finally looked into my eyes. "Do you care about him?"

I didn't have to hesitate. "Yes. I absolutely care about him." I knew it wasn't what he wanted to hear, but I couldn't bear to tell him another lie. "In all honesty, I love him. I wish I could tell you differently, but…I can't lie to you anymore."

Charlie stared blankly. "Who?" I shook my head. "Hermione, tell me who-"

"I can't," I snapped. "I can't. I won't. There's no reason for you to know."

Charlie snorted. "Well, are you going to go shack up with _him_ now? I guess I'll find out soon enough, won't I?"

"I don't think I'll ever see him again," I said quickly. "He can't be there for us. That's why I'm still here. I can't be with him." I knew how it all sounded, but I was at least being truthful with him now.

Charlie climbed the steps to the porch, shaking his head. And then he stopped. "Charlie?"

He turned around slowly. "Is it Harry's?"

I felt my jaw drop. That was the last thing I had expected. "You're kidding, right?"

Charlie shrugged. "You two are close. And he's married, so of course he wouldn't be able to be there for-"

"No," I gasped. "No, how could you even think…no, it's not Harry. It could never be Harry." I fought the urge I had to laugh at his accusation.

"You took him to the appointment with you."

"Because you were working," I shrieked. "Harry already had the day off to go with Ginny. He's my best friend. If he was the father, and he couldn't be there for me and the baby, do you think he'd bother going to my appointments?"

Charlie snorted and turned away. "Fine. So it's not the most logical candidate. Forgive me for looking at the obvious."

I knew he was in pain, but I wanted to slap him. There was no reason for him to drag Harry into this when Harry hadn't done anything wrong. I followed him onto the porch as he unlocked the door. "I'm not going to argue about this with you right now. We should talk when the both of us are calm. I guess I'll go to my parents' tonight."

"Good idea," Charlie hissed and opened the door. Staring at the ground, I moved forward and bumped into him. "What the…Hermione, go to your mum's."

I felt irritated. "Move. I need to get some-oh." I peered over his shoulder and barely recognized our sitting room. Half the lights were out and the couch was turned over. Picture frames and remnants of vases were strewn across the floor alongside their contents. Everything was a mess. "What hap-?"

"Don't." Charlie put up his arm to keep me from going in. "You have your wand?"

"Yes, but-"

"Stay here." He crept into the living room, looking around cautiously. He moved into the kitchen and I took the opportunity to take in the room that had once been so lovely and comforting. The table to the left of the door was untouched. I picked up the picture frame that was sitting on it. It was from the summer before sixth year. Harry, me, and the rest of the Weasleys were seated around the kitchen table at the Burrow, smiling and laughing for once during dark times. I remembered the prophecy and realized with a deep pang that those terrifying times might lie just around the corner, ready to reappear.

Charlie came back not even a minute later. "I don't think anyone's here, but the kitchen's torn up, too. Come on, you should get out of here. I'll go and get Bill, and we can check the place out."

"We should go back to Harry's," I said quickly. "You can floo Bill from there, and Harry will want to see this." Charlie agreed and a few seconds later, we were back at the Potters'.

Ginny looked puzzled when she opened the door. "Did you forget something?"

"Our house has been completely destroyed," Charlie said calmly. Ginny's jaw fell.

"What?"

"Someone's been there." He pushed me inside ahead of him. "The entire first floor is torn up, and I didn't bother looking upstairs. Where's Harry?"

"I heard," Harry said, appearing in the hall. "Damn. Maybe it was a burglary. I'll go back with you if you want to finish looking around."

Charlie nodded. "Yeah, just let me floo Bill real quick."

"Get George, too," Harry called after him.

"I don't think they took anything," I told Harry. "Everything seemed to be there. It was all just…out of place."

"Hermione, come sit down." Ginny guided me into their family room. "You're shaking. Harry, fetch a blanket."

"I'm fine," I tried to argue, but Ginny would have none of it. "I'm just a bit shaken up is all."

"And rightfully so," Ginny said. She left to get me some tea and I collapsed on the couch.

"Hermione, we need to talk," Harry said as he wrapped the blanket around my shoulders. He sat down on the coffee table in front of me. "I need you to explain everything to me, everything about this afternoon."

I shook my head. "No. No, please don't do this. Not right now."

Harry's eyes darkened. "Whose is it, Hermione?" I shook my head again. "Hermione, I need to know. It could be really important. If there's someone we overlooked with this case-"

"You didn't overlook anyone," I whispered. "Harry, please, don't."

"I have a horrible feeling," Harry hissed, "that this has something to do with that case I told you about. Hermione, please, tell me I'm wrong."

I watched him silently for a few moments. "I think they're after the baby," I said finally. Harry's eyes widened. "I think someone knows."

"Knows what?"

I inhaled deeply. I had to tell Harry, whether he believed me or not. "It's-"

"Angelina said George is out somewhere," Charlie announced as he entered the room with Bill behind him. "She'll send him over when he gets back. Bill and I are ready to go have a look around though, if you still want to go, Harry."

Harry looked torn. "We'll discuss it later," I told him. "I promise. I'll tell you whatever you need to know. Go ahead and make sure they don't have any trouble." I patted him on the arm reassuringly and Charlie snorted.

"Unless you'd rather stay _here_ with _my_ wife-"

"Oh, Charlie, stop it," I hissed. "Leave Harry out of this."

"Leave Harry out of what?" Bill asked curiously.

"Yeah, what the hell did I do?" Harry exclaimed.

"You didn't do a damn thing," I growled.

"What is it you think he's done?" Bill asked Charlie.

"Maybe Harry's got nothing to do with it," Charlie said darkly. "But he sure as hell looks suspicious." He turned back to his older brother. "Hermione's pregnant, and she's just informed that the baby isn't mine."

"No, it's not."

We all looked back at the doorway to the sitting room, where George stood with his arms cross over his chest. Ginny stood behind him, looking horrified.

"And what do you know about it?" Charlie shrieked at his younger brother. "Is this something everyone's in on but me?"

George snorted. "Hardly. C'mon, Hermione. You should stay with your parents tonight. It's probably the best place to go for now."

Harry helped me off the couch and I pushed past everyone to get to George. "Hermione, you still haven't told me everything."

"And what does she owe _you_ an explanation for?" Charlie scoffed.

"Charlie, calm down," George intervened. "This isn't Harry's fault. He's just trying to be helpful. And Hermione isn't the one that needs to be giving explanations. But we can talk about all of this another time. Right now, we need to get her somewhere safe and make sure there's nothing strange going on in your house."

"Have you seen him?" I asked George. He nodded.

"Later, Hermione. Let's get out of here." I looked back at Charlie and Harry apologetically and followed him to the fireplace. We flooed to my parents' house, where my mother jumped at the sight of powder flying into her sitting room.

"Hermione, what's going on? You never use the fireplace," she said, hugging me. "George, it's good to see you."

"Nice to see you again, Mrs. Granger," George said sadly. "But I'm afraid we're here with rotten business. Someone broke into your daughter's house." Mum gasped and flung her hands over her mouth. My father appeared and George explained the evening to them.

"What about Ron?" I asked when he had finished.

My parents exchanged worried looks. My father voiced his concern first. "Hermione, dear, Ron's-"

"I talked to him already," George said. "Although our conversation happened before Charlie found out about the baby, and before you were in any real danger, at least as far as we knew. I'll go and see him tomorrow. Don't worry. Everything will work out."

George excused himself and disapparated. "Hermione, what was he talking about?" Mum asked. "What is all this about Ron? I thought-"

"He's alive," I admitted. "Can I tell you in the morning? I'm going to collapse if I don't get to bed."

My parents still looked worried, but they helped me up to my old bedroom. Mum said something about getting me pajamas, but by the time she came back, I was fast asleep, dreaming of my baby and everything I had done.

* * *

><p><em>I'm <em>_losing __you, __I'm __losing __you.  
>Trust <em>_me __on __this __one;__  
>I've <em>_got __a __bad __feeling.  
>Trust <em>_me __on __this __one.  
>You're <em>_gonna __throw __it __all __away  
>With <em>_no __hesitation._

* * *

><p>AN: Well, there you have it.

So...Ron's POV next time...maybe in about a week? xoxo

-VK


	13. Send Me On My Way

A/N: OMFG. My computer straight up died. Started smoking. Dead. Gone. So is all the writing I did.

And I had about eight or nine pages of this chapter done. Soooo…this chapter is one that's been rewritten. I won't have a computer for who knows how long (hopefully only a few weeks) so chapters won't be quite so frequent for awhile. Anyway…as promised, Ron Weasley's POV.

Sorry, I don't think I'll be doing a chapter from Charlie's perspective. It just doesn't really fit at the moment. You'll see him again, I promise.

And you have to listen to the song at some point. It's one of my favorites ever. So upbeat...so quirky...so very Ron..._Send Me On My Way_ by Rusted Root.

* * *

><p><em>I would like to reach out my hand.<em>  
><em> I may see you, I may tell you to run.<em>  
><em> You know what they say about the young.<em>

* * *

><p>Everything hurt.<p>

It had never been easy to be away from Hermione. There were days I didn't want to get out of bed, days I didn't want to stay in hiding, times when it took every fiber of my being not to go back and beg her for forgiveness.

I wanted to go back. I wanted more than anything to disapparate again and show up in Hermione's bedroom. We could have had another night. We could have had another week. I could have brought her back with me and we could go into hiding together. She could be mine, just like she was meant to be, and we could live happily ever after in a secluded place, just the two of us for decades to come.

Being with her for the past two weeks had been a godsend. It was like waking up from a coma. I had found a piece of me that I had lost a long time ago. For two weeks, I had been able to be myself again. I had gone back to being who I was.

And who I was, was a person who needed Hermione in his life desperately.

It wasn't long before the tears started. I fell to the ground feeling like the world was going to collapse around me. A sharp knock on the door brought me out of my daze. "Ron?" I chirpy voice called outside the door. "Are you in there?"

I sighed and stood up. For a second, I had thought it might have been Hermione. If anyone could find a way to follow me back, it would be her. I wiped the tears from my eyes quickly and answered the door. A tiny blonde girl squealed and flung her arms around my waist when she saw me. I patted her head gently and chuckled.

"Thank goodness," she giggled. "Oh, I thought you were dead! You were gone for so long, and I had no idea where you'd gone off to. Where were you anyway?"

Darlene Turner was a Muggle girl who lived nearby. She was my only good friend out in the middle of nowhere. She could be a good distraction. She was lively and upbeat and always had something interesting to do or say. It had come in handy when I'd gotten sick of hitting dead ends with products I was working on for George.

"Er…taking care of some family stuff," I answered quickly.

She cocked an eyebrow at me and folded her arms under her chest. "I thought you had a falling out with your family?"

Maybe I had. I had told her my cover story so long ago and so vaguely that it could have been anything at this point. Whenever she brought it up, I shrugged it off and told her I didn't like talking about it.

"Yeah, I did," I corrected quickly. "I just had some loose ends to take care of. Family emergency. They needed me there for, er, legal stuff," I improvised. This answer seemed to suit her just fine because she smiled and waltzed over to the couch, where she sat gracefully. "So how were things while I was gone?"

Darlene pulled her long, blonde hair over one of her shoulders and started twirling it around in her fingers. She shrugged. "It was pretty boring, to be honest. I went down to the village a few times on errands. Debbie's still trying to get me out of the house, but I don't think that's going to happen anytime soon."

Debbie Richards was Darlene's older sister. She was always trying to motivate Darlene to do something with her life. I secretly agreed with Debbie that Darlene should move on. It wasn't that I didn't like her around. Darlene was one of those people who could excel at anything she wanted to do. I couldn't understand what a young girl with so much potential was doing in the middle of nowhere when she could be out at some Muggle university in a big city.

"Where am I going to go if I leave?" Darlene continued. "This is my home. The city is so daunting. I don't think I would like it. It seems so unclean and cold." She shuddered.

"The city's not too bad," I told her. "I lived there for a little while once. It was…" I thought back to the apartment Hermione and I had shared when we she had graduated Hogwarts. "It was really great. I'd love to go back someday."

"Really?" Darlene asked with wide eyes. "I never really would have considered you to be the city type. Weird." She shrugged it off, like she did with a lot of things. "I missed you, you know."

"Oh," I said awkwardly. I sat down on the floor in front of her and picked at a loose string on the rug. I had known for awhile that Darlene fancied me. I was flattered by her attention, and she was a lovely girl, but these sort of gestures always made me uncomfortable. Part of it was because I wasn't interested in her. The main reason, though, was that she wasn't my girl. Whenever she flirted with me, I thought of Hermione. I thought of the girl I would rather have here all over me. It especially hurt now while the wound was still fresh.

I knew she wanted me to tell her that I had missed her. She wanted to hear that I cared about her just as much as she cared about me, but it wasn't true. Even if I had missed her, it wouldn't have meant anything. Besides, it was extremely hard to miss anyone when I was with Hermione.

"Well," she started when she realized I wasn't going to say anything to her in return, "did you meet any nice girls?"

I hesitated. Well, I certainly hadn't met any girls in the way she was thinking. I had found one whom I hadn't seen in ages. But would I classify Hermione as a nice girl? It seemed to simple of a category for someone as brilliant as Hermione.

"No," I decided. "I saw my ex-girlfriend, though."

Darlene's face perked up with curiosity. "Oh? How'd that go?"

"She's married," I said blandly. "She's been married for about a year now."

Darlene frowned, but I could see the light in her eyes. "Oh, Ron, I'm sorry. But I'm sure you'll find someone much better suited for you any day now."

I shook my head. "No, you don't understand. I won't." I didn't know how to explain my connection with Hermione to someone else. We were meant to be together. Part of me still believed our purpose was that we were made for each other.

Darlene didn't think so. "Ron," she said firmly, pressing her tiny hand to my shoulder. "Listen to me. You are a wonderful, wonderful human being. Any girl who doesn't see that or gives you up because they think there's better out there doesn't deserve you. She can't be that spectacular if she's too thick to see how amazing you really are."

It was one of those moments when I hated that Darlene was a Muggle. "She's not thick. She's one of the most brilliant people I know. Probably the smartest I've ever met. She's stunning. She's the one who deserves something special. She deserves better than me."

Darlene shook her head. "It's not possible. I think you're playing her up, personally."

I smiled, thinking of the way Hermione looked with the moonlight pouring in the window and onto her skin, with her hair down around her face. I didn't think I could play up such a thing.

"If you knew her, you would understand," I surrendered. "Oh well. She's doing well, and that's great for her. I've got to move on. It is what it is."

Darlene scowled and checked her watch. "Damn straight you have to move on. That was years ago that you were with her. You haven't even tried to find someone else. She stood up and ruffled my hair. "I've got to go run to the village for Debbie. Do you want to go?"

I shook my head. "I just need some time to relax her. To get used to being home again, you know?"

Darlene nodded and gave me one of her adoring smiles. "Yes, I know exactly what you mean. We should do something later though. Movie night? I've got some of those bad science fiction movies we like to mock and a bottle of vodka calling our names."

After a moment's hesitation, I nodded. Darlene was always getting new movies, but the movies she bought seemed to be getting older and older. She loved finding odd movies for us to see. From what Hermione had told me, all of the ones I mentioned watching weren't even popular enough for her to have heard of them.

"Yeah, that'd be great. I could use it to get my mind off of things."

Darlene looked ecstatic. "Alright, I'll be over around nine. I'll bring everything we need since I'm heading into town today anyway. I'll see you tonight!" She called excitedly as she dashed out the door. I shook my head and laid back on the couch, where I made a mental note to ask her if she had ever heard of _50 First Dates._

* * *

><p>"Oh, I can't believe I forgot the popcorn!"<p>

Darlene slapped her hand to her forehead. "It's okay," I told her as I poured some vodka into our glasses. "We don't need it."

"Yes, we do!" Darlene exclaimed. "I can't believe this. First, I'm over an hour late, and then I forget the popcorn of all things. And it's a good thing you have soda, or we'd have had to go without a chaser. No, this is unacceptable. We need popcorn."

"Don't beat yourself up about it," I told her.

She ignored me and grabbed her keys. "I'll be back in a few minutes. Don't start it without me, okay?" She slipped on her shoes before she kissed me on the cheek and flew out the door. I sighed and shook my head before I finished mixing our drinks. I started to take a sip when I heard a tiny dinging sort of noise.

I didn't take time to wonder why George's owl was outside my window. Instead, I put down my glass and let him in. He was carrying a small envelope on his left leg, which I quickly untied. It wasn't addressed to anyone.

George rarely ever sent owls. If he ever needed something, he came in person. I felt nervous as I slid my finger under the seal. "Pig, stop," I snapped at my tiny owl as he zoomed around my head jealously. "I'll send you back, just get off."

I finally managed to get him off me and finished opening the envelope. A picture floated out and to the ground. I looked inside for some sort of note and found none before I retrieved it. I stood as I stared at, feeling a smile work its way across my face. The picture was a snapshot of James on a toy broom. He was smiling and giggling as it flew around what I assumed was Harry's sitting room at snail speed. His dark hair was rumpled and standing up in odd places, much like his father's. His eyes were dark. They reminded me of Ginny and my mum.

I flipped it over and felt the smile slide away from my face. I recognized the tidy little letters immediately. They made my stomach jolt before I even read them. With a deep breath, I glanced over the note on the back.

_Better late than never, right? This is my godson. He's going to be a big Quidditch star when he gets to Hogwarts._

_I miss you already._

_All my love,_

_Hermione._

_P.S.-He's got your smile, don't you think so?_

I read it over three times before I flipped the photo back over. I studied James's tiny face and found that she was right. His smile looked exactly like the one I'd been wearing just minutes ago. I couldn't bring myself to do it again now. I read the note again, not really comprehending it anymore. I stared at Hermione's writing as if it would bring her to me.

_I miss you already._ Sure she missed me now. But what about in a week, when Charlie was back? She would have her husband there to keep her company. She would be fine, and she would move along with all their friends and family. She, unlike me, would have enough distractions to keep her mind busy. She wouldn't miss me for long.

I loved that she had sent me the picture of James, and hated it at the same time. It hurt more than usual that I would never get to see him or meet him. I would never hear his sense of humor or watch him play Quidditch. I downed my drink and poured myself a shot. And then another. I was up to three and sitting on the couch by the time Darlene came back.

"Good thing I got this," she exclaimed as she walked through the door and kicked off her shoes. "I don't know how we could have survived without it. It's especially deli-Ron, what's wrong?"

I looked up, realizing that there were tears trailing down my face. I shook my head at her, but said nothing. She sighed and went into the kitchen. By the time she returned, she had lost the popcorn and found two shot glasses.

"Let's skip movie night," she suggested. "We'll just have a night of misery. Everyone needs those, right?" She poured us each a shot and ran back for the Pepsi I had in the fridge. "Here, drink." She handed me the two liter and a shot. I threw it back and handed her the soda so she could do the same.

A few shots later, Darlene was sitting next to me on the couch, and I was still staring at my picture of James. "I have a nephew," I told her.

"Oh, really?" Darlene asked. "You never told me that."

I shook my head. "No reason to. I'm never going to get to meet him."

Darlene frowned. "Is he your brother's?"

"Nah. My sister's. She's married to my best friend. It's weird, because he sorta takes after Harry in a lot of ways. I can see a lot of him just in this picture. But he smiles like I do. See?"

Darlene giggled. "He does have your smile. It's adorable. I bet it's weird to see a kid who has yours and best friend's features, huh?"

I nodded. "That's exactly what it is. I have another nephew besides him. Fred. He's George's. You've met George."

Darlene nodded. "Yeah, I have. Have you met Fred before?"

"Just once," I said sadly. "He was an infant, though."

Darlene frowned. "Pity. Maybe things will work out one day, and you'll be able to see them again."

I snorted. "Doubt it. Oh well. It is what it is, right?" I looked down at her and saw that she was watching me with such a soft expression. I was afraid she was going to try something. Instead, she leaned against my arm and wrapped one of hers around me.

"Someday, you'll see them," Darlene insisted. "Have a little faith, Ron."

"Can I borrow some of yours?"

"Of course," Darlene chuckled. "What else are friends for?"

I couldn't think of an answer for that one. We sat together in silence for the rest of the night while I marveled at how lucky I was to have a friend at the moment. Really, that was all I needed right then. I needed a friend.

And Hermione.

* * *

><p>Something hit me hard against the side of the head. I jolted awake and sat up with my arms over my face. "What the hell?"<p>

"Ron, get up," George snapped. "I've been trying to get you up for ages now."

I scowled at him and got out of bed. "Fine," I yawned. "What brings you here?"

"What do you think?" George asked. When I just stared at him, his face went red. "Ron, you went to see Hermione."

I sighed. "George-"

"What the hell is wrong with you?" George yelled. "We go through all of this for years, do all of these things to keep you hidden, and you go back to the girl we're trying to keep safe? What could have possessed you to do such a thing?"

"I didn't go looking for her," I said indignantly. "You think I wanted to throw all of that away? That's the last thing I wanted."

"Then explain to me how she knows all about you leaving, and how you're in hiding, and especially how she knows that we're in contact," George screamed.

"Crookshanks," I spat. "Crookshanks showed up injured, and I had to fix him and get him back to her. I took him back but she wasn't supposed to see me."

"She wasn't supposed to see you?" George sounded hysterical. "But she did see you, Ron! She did see you. She saw you for two fucking weeks! What did you need two weeks for? Why didn't you obliviate her or something?"

"She told me not to," I whined.

"She told you not to?" George scoffed. "I bet she told you not to go back into hiding, too. I bet she told you to give up this whole charade to be with her. I bet she told you to do all sorts of things that we both know can never happen, but you didn't do them, did you? You didn't stay with her. So why the hell couldn't you erase her memory? _Just because she asked you not to_?"

I didn't know what to say. He was right. I should have done her memory, but it was too late now. I told him this. "It was two weeks. We can go back to the way things were."

"She knows about the prophecy," George said. "Harry told her."

Heated anger filled my body. Why was Harry telling her about these things? He should have known it would only get her more involved. "What would he do that for?"

George shrugged. "I don't know, but he did. She knows. Do you think that'll be enough to keep her where she's been for the past five years?"

I shrugged. This must have been the case Hermione had been talking about while I was there. There had been something Harry had wanted to talk to her about. And of course he would be working with Malfoy on it. Malfoy was at just as much risk as I was.

"I don't think she'll tell," I said. "I think now that she knows what all is at risk, she'll keep it quiet. And she wouldn't want to hurt anyone. She doesn't want to hurt the family like that. They'd be so upset if they knew I'd really been alive all of this time."

George nodded. "But is that enough?"

"She knows we can't be around each other," I told him with a shaking voice. "She and I can't be within a hundred yards of each other without wanting to jump each other's bones. Telling everyone I'm alive will bring me around, and then there'll be more of that. And then Charlie will get hurt, and the risks will be raised and-damn, George. Why didn't you tell me about Charlie?"

George shrugged. "I didn't want you to look too far into it. I didn't want you to get hurt. I didn't want you to run back and ruin what all we'd done."

I nodded, knowing he was right. If he had told me too much about it, I would have taken it even harder. It hadn't been easy when I'd found out she was getting married. I had barely left bed for about three days.

"I didn't want to ruin what we've done," I finally said. "I wanted to keep things like this. But she was all alone. She was going to be by herself for a month, and I hate the idea of it. What if someone had come and tried to rob the place, or looking to hurt her? I couldn't leave her alone."

George shook his head. "You're too damn noble, Ron. Or stupid. I haven't decided yet. You could have thrown it all away and ruined what we've done. Your intentions aren't going to be what affects the prophecy."

"We were safe," I exclaimed without thinking. George's eyes widened.

"You were…Ron, no. Don't tell me that you…She's married, Ron! To your brother!"

"I'm bloody well aware, no thanks to you," I bellowed. "I tried. I tried my hardest, but I told you, we can't keep away from each other. You don't know what it's like to be away from your girl for almost six years and then not be able to touch her when you're sleeping in the same damn bed night after night."

"I don't know because I'd never put myself in that kind of situation," George screamed.

"No one's making you be part of this situation either," I yelled back. "If you have a problem with it, then stop. I don't need your help anymore. I can figure it out."

"I'm not going to do that," George said calmly. "Of course I have to be part of this situation, Ron. Do you think I'd let them take another of my brothers away from me? Fat chance. Look, you just have to be more careful. I'm glad you were at least safe," George stopped to shudder. "But be careful. It can't happen again, or this will all be in vain."

I nodded. "I know, George. I'm sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen."

"Look," George said. "I know you didn't, but you should know. Hermione's going to be fine. She and Charlie are happy together, and…well, they're trying to have a baby."

I felt like I'd had a ton of bricks thrown at me. "How do you know that?"

"She told me," George said simply. "I hate telling you these kinds of things, but I think you should know. Hermione's moving on. Things are happening the way they were supposed to. Maybe you should move on, too."

"Move on?" I laughed. "I'm not even supposed to exist. How am I supposed to move on when I'm supposed to be trying to keep from being found."

"You can start over," George said. "You don't have to do anything extreme. I'm just saying. You shouldn't be too worried about Hermione. She'll be alright. And it's okay for you to stop thinking about her. It's actually probably for the best."

I sighed and rubbed my eyes. "Yeah, I guess. I'm really sorry George. I didn't mean to fuck things up."

"I know you didn't. But I've got to get to the shop, though. I'll see you at some point, yeah?" I nodded again and we said our goodbyes before he apparted to the shop.

* * *

><p>Darlene and I spent most of the following week together. Two weeks after I'd returned, we finally decided to cash in our rain check on movie night. We watched an independent romantic comedy (she wasn't really a fan of Adam Sandler) that I wouldn't have been able to make it through if it weren't for the drinks. When it ended, we continued to laugh about it for another ten minutes. Darlene seemed to be moving closer to me, and before I knew it, she was saddled right up against my side.<p>

"This is much better than the last time we drank," she observed. "We're not so mopey now, are we?"

I shook my head. "No, thank goodness. Thank you, Darlene. For last time. You were great for being there, when I needed a friend."

"That's my job," she said brightly, laughing.

"What's so funny?" I asked. She shook her head.

"Nothing. You're adorable, Ron. Did you know that?" I shrugged and she started playing with my hair. "We're really good friends, aren't we? We make a good team."

"Yeah, we do," I admitted. "I don't know what I'd do sometimes if I didn't have you around. Life would be pretty dull."

Darlene tilted her head to the side and looked me up and down. "Do you just need a friend again tonight?" I shrugged. "No, I don't think you do. You're strong. You can handle yourself."

"Not always," I said. "I need you sometimes, you know. Like last time."

Her eyes widened. "Do you? You-you need me?"

I nodded. "Yeah. There are things I can't do myself. Sometimes, I need you."

Darlene took in my words and smiled. I gulped as she moved closer to my face. Her gray eyes captivated me, even though I knew I shouldn't let them. What was I doing? Why was I letting her get so close? She blinked a few times and then bit her bottom lip. It reminded me of Hermione.

My thoughts changed immediately. Why not let her get so close? I was supposed to be moving on anyway. Hermione was moving on. She was married to Charlie, and they were going to be having a baby soon. I wouldn't be in the picture again once that had happened, no matter what Hermione or I wanted. Why should I wait around and be miserable over her when I could be doing what she wanted me to do-making myself happy?

Darlene's lips collided with mine. They were soft and full; I let myself respond. She parted her lips and kissed me more deeply. I did the same. She moaned and pushed herself onto my lap, wrapping her hands around my neck. She pulled back long enough to breathe and then pushed her tongue between my lips.

As she started to roam my mouth, I froze. Here was this incredibly beautiful girl kissing me like I was the last guy on the planet, and I was revolted. It seemed so wrong. The taste was wrong, her lips were too full, her butt was too bony…she wasn't Hermione.

As Darlene pressed herself closer to me and grabbed handfuls of my shirt, I decided that I would much rather be alone and miserable than move on. Moving on wasn't going to make me any happier. It would just make whoever I was with miserable on top of everything else.

"Darlene," I gasped when she finally came up for air. She giggled and returned to my mouth. Her lips started to travel across my face, so I tried again. "Darlene, I don't think this is a very good idea."

She pulled back and looked at me. Confusion was all over her face. "But…but I thought you wanted…" She trailed off and waited for an explanation.

I shook my head. "I can't. I'm sorry, but I can't do this. You're wonderful. You're beautiful and you have so much potential to do so much with your life, but that's not for me. You're not for me. You could find someone out there better suited for you than I am."

I thought she was going to cry. "I don't understand. I thought you liked me."

"I do," I said quickly. "I really do. I think you're amazing. But I don't want to be romantic with you. And it's nothing personal. If I had met you years ago, we might have happened. But now? Now it can't."

Darlene looked hurt and I felt horrible. "Why not? Why not now? I'll wait for you if I have to."

I shook my head. "Don't wait for me. That's the problem. I can't be with you now because I'm already waiting on someone else. I'm always going to want her, but I'll never be able to have her. And I can't stop wanting her. It isn't fair to you, and it wouldn't be fair to anyone else, if I were with them and still in love with her. They would never really have me, see? And isn't that what you look for in a partner? Don't you want someone that you can call yours?"

"It's that girl who got married, isn't it?" Darlene said dully. "She's moved on, Ron. You're not going to do any good waiting for her. She's not going to come back to you."

"I know," I said as gently as possible. "I just told you I know that. I'll never have her. But I can't stop wanting her. And I can't do this with you, or with anyone, if I want someone else."

Darlene moved away from my lap and nodded. She stood in front of me with her eyes on the ground. "But we can still be friends?"

I nodded. "Of course. I want to be friends with you. I just don't want to lead you on."

She smirked. "Don't worry about leading me on. Besides, you'll be ready to move on one day."

I gaped at her. Was she hearing anything I said?

"And I'll be here when you are," she said mischieviously. "I want you, Ron. I don't want anyone else. And I will have you one day, whether or not you think you'll like it. You don't have to believe it now, but you'll get tired of waiting eventually." I stared at her as she leaned down and kissed the corner of my mouth. "You will be mine, Ron."

Almost as soon as she had said it, she was gone. I sat back, puzzled. Maybe one day I would get tired of waiting, but today was not that day. Maybe someday I would take her up on her offer. Maybe she would be my source of happiness one day in the future, but she was sure wrong about one thing.

I would never be hers. I'd always belong to someone else.

And that someone else would always belong to my brother.

* * *

><p>Darlene and I reached friend status again quickly over the next few days, though Darlene was much more forward with her flirting than she had ever been before. I tried to ignore it, but there were times when I simply couldn't help but retaliate. It was something to entertain me, at the very least.<p>

The more time she spent around me, the more I thought about what George had told me about moving on. Maybe he was right. And maybe that was why Darlene was here and not off living in the city like she should have been. Maybe fate wasn't about what we wanted or loved or thought we deserved. Maybe it was just about the things that were supposed to happen for reasons beyond our control.

A few weeks passed where Darlene was my only constant company. I visited her home for dinner a few times, but it was the only time I ever saw Darlene's sister Debbie and her husband. One Thursday, we went out to the nearest town and did some shopping. Debbie had made her an entire list of things they needed for the next month, which included a section for me (she said she worried about me being a bachelor living out in the middle of nowhere who never bothered to make trips into town; it was one of the many inconveniences of them being Muggles, them not understanding).

We split up the tasks in order to get more done. Darlene left me in charge of household items while she ventured off in search of food. It took me three tiny shops to get everything I needed, and three hours later, I plopped myself down in front of a fountain in the middle of the town where we had decided to meet. I checked my watch and glanced around for some sign of Darlene.

Something bumped my foot and I jumped. I looked down and found a rubber ball covered in bright colors. I reached down to pick it up. When I looked up again, a little girl was racing toward me.

"Sorry, sir," she said shyly. "Could I have my ball back please?"

I stared at her for a moment. Her hair was long and red-almost the same shade as mine. It reminded me of Ginny. My heart sunk; it was her birthday.

"Oh, sure," I told the girl. I handed back her toy and she smiled gratefully before running back to her friends.

"Ready?" Darlene asked a half an hour later as she approached me with twice as many bags as I had. "Let's get these into the car."

It was about an hour drive back to my house. I was quiet most of the way while Darlene sang along to the pop music on the radio. "Hey, did something happen today?" she asked when we were pulling into my driveway. I shook my head and tried to smile. "Ron, you're so readable. You're like a damn book, I swear. What's going on?"

I hesitated to tell her. She pulled the keys out of the ignition and turned to stare at me.

"This girl in the village," I surrendered. "She reminded me of my little sister."

Darlene frowned. "The one with the baby?" I nodded. "Oh, Ron, I'm so sorry. You know, I bet one day-"

"It's her birthday," I told her. "It's her birthday, and I can't even be there to celebrate."

Darlene patted my arm soothingly. "Ron, darling, it's going to be fine. Everything is going to be just fine. You'll see her again some day."

We unloaded my things and Darlene, after insisted that she didn't need any help, kissed me on the cheek and left. I wiped it away hastily as soon as she was out of sight. I wouldn't let her get to me this way. All she accomplished with that was reminding me of Hermione, and it was starting to hurt.

I relaxed for the rest of the day and was just thinking about heading up to bed when I heard the fireplace spring to life. I glanced up and grabbed my wand, only to drop it when I saw George step out of the kitchen.

"We have a problem."

"Hello to you, too," I said, standing. "What's the problem?"

"You're an idiot, that's the problem," George said. I started to protest, but he beat me. "Hermione's pregnant."

I felt my stomach plummet. "Oh. Well, good for her."

"Are you kidding?" George snarled.

I shook my head and turned to put my book on the shelf across the room. "She's moving on. That's what's supposed to happen, right? I don't know what it has to do with me being an idiot, but-"

"It's not Charlie's."

My entire body froze. Not Charlie's? But if it wasn't Charlie's, then it had to be-

"No," I argued, finally turning. "George, it can't be mine. She was on the pill. We used charms. _We were safe_."

"Not safe enough," George sighed. "She's pregnant, but she told me it's not Charlie's. He thinks it is but it's not."

I fell back into one of the chairs. Hermione was having my baby. This was what I had been trying to avoid all along, and I had ruined everything. "W-well. Tell her it has to be Charlie's."

"Ron, you're not listening."

"No, I am," I argued. "Tell her she has to raise it with Charlie. I can't be there for them. It's their last shot at safety. He's the only hope they have."

"I had a feeling you'd say that." George sounded defeated. "Well, I told her I'd talk to you, and I did. So…well, I'll let her know what you had to say."

He turned to leave but I stopped him. "Will you at least have her take pictures for me? I'd like to at least see what my baby looks like." George smiled sadly and nodded. "Thanks."

"Of course, bro. It's the least I can do."

He left me alone to consider what he had just said. Hermione was having my baby. It was like the prophecy was meant to come true. Nothing would stop it. Fate would get what it wanted, regardless of the cost.

* * *

><p>I had a hard time sleeping that night. I fell asleep at about six in the morning. Needless to say, I didn't take it well when George woke me up at seven-thirty.<p>

"Have you seen this?" George asked, throwing the Daily Prophet at my face. I grumbled and sat up lazily before looking over the front page.

"'Kevin Halloway murdered in his home last night,'" I read aloud. "Alright, who's Kevin Halloway and why do I care?"

"Keep reading," George said sharply.

I skimmed the article. Kevin didn't seem to be very interesting apart from his demise, the poor bloke. He had graduated from Hogwarts two years ago and been training as a Healer in the maternity wing at St. Mungo's. "St. Mungo's has a maternity wing?" I asked. "Since when?"

"Since just after the war," George said. "Witches were complaining about home delivery and no one wanted to go to the Muggle hospitals. Obviously. It's fairly recent, but all the Weasleys of this generation have been born there so far.

"Weird," I muttered, looking at Kevin's portrait. "Do think Hermione'll go there?"

"She did," George answered quickly. "She had an appointment yesterday afternoon."

"That's good," I said, trying to push thoughts of my child and its mother out of my brain until George had at least made his point. "So, about this Kevin guy-"

"Ron, he was at her appointment," George interrupted. I raised an eyebrow at him. "He was there when she was. And that's when she found out how far along she was. That's how she found out that it's yours."

I gulped and looked up from the article. "You don't think someone was fishing for information, do you?"

George hung his head. "Someone broke into Charlie's house last night. The place was torn apart. I just came from there actually. It doesn't look like anything was taken, which raises my suspicions. They were at Harry's when it happened, Ron, don't worry. We were all at Harry's right before I came to see you, and by the time I left, Charlie had come looking for me to help him look around. Hermione's at her parents' and everyone's alright."

"Do you think it's safe that she's there?" I asked in a higher voice than usual. "They're Muggles. What if someone shows up-"

"She's better off away from magic right now," George said. "And it's better off that she's not staying with any relatives. She told Charlie at some point last night."

"Told him?" I asked as my voice grew higher still. "What did she tell him?"

"That it's not his baby. She didn't tell him that it's yours, though. Not that he'd believe her anyway. Harry might, though. He's getting pretty suspicious. He knew it wasn't Charlie's either. He had to have known because he went to the appointment with her. He's the one who pointed out the connection in the paper this morning."

"Bloody hell," I gasped. "She's in trouble. She's really in trouble. Damn it. This is what we were busting our asses off to avoid. Why would she tell Charlie? Why didn't you do his memory?"

"We're too far in now," George said. "You do it in now, and how long until it slips? And then there's Harry, and now Bill and Ginny know. Even if I did it to them all, Harry would figure it out whenever she tells him how far along she is. Everyone knows Charlie wasn't there at the time the baby would have had to been conceived. They might not think about you, but they'll know it's not Charlie's. And then it raises suspicions for everyone. It won't be long now, Ron. We've bought you time, but we haven't saved you."

I sighed and buried my face in my hands. "George, I have to go get her. I can't leave her with her parents. It's not safe enough, especially if everyone knows, and they've already broken into her place."

"Then we'll bring her back here," George said. "I've got to go and take care of other things first. We might be in a tight spot, but we've not been outed just yet. I have to go about the day as normally as possible. If we move Hermione too quickly, Harry will have my head. He's losing it over this case, Ron, especially now that Hermione's involved. Charlie thought the baby was his at first," George snickered.

"Why'd he think that?" I asked suspiciously.

"Oh, come on, Ron. They're close. They're best friends. They always do lunch together and hang out. And he's so worried about her. If you were still around, there's no doubt in my mind you'd be the first he'd point to. Harry's just next on the totem poll."

"But her and Harry aren't involved," I said. "They've never been. Why would he think-"

"He was mad, Ron," George said. "He wanted someone to blame. Can you fault him for that?" I shook my head. "Harry's really concerned for Hermione anyway. He's got us watching her like a hawk. If we're going to get in there, we're going to have to be sneaky. I'll come by after work and we'll head over there."

"How mad do you think Harry's going to be?"

George shrugged and sighed. "That we get Hermione out of there without telling him? He'll be pissed. He doesn't want to lose both of his best friends. It might break him if something happens to her. I won't hear the end of it until I die."

I nodded. "What about when he finds out about me?"

"Pissed doesn't even begin to cover it," George said. "He'll be hurt. He might say nasty things. He might do nasty things. But he misses you. In the end, he'll come around. He'll forgive you."

"I hope you're right," I said. "I'll see you after work. Don't keep me waiting too long, okay? I'll be on the edge of my seat all day."

George smirked. "I know you will be. Don't worry, Ron. It won't be long until you've got her back." He walked downstairs to floo to the shop. I had too much to think about. Someone was already after Hermione and our baby. All this time I had spent hiding had meant nothing.

At the very least, I was excited about one thing. By the end of the day, I would have Hermione in my arms and I would never have to live without her again.

* * *

><p><em>Well pick me up with golden hands.<br>I may see you, I may tell you to run.  
>You know what they say about the young.<em>

* * *

><p>AN: That song is so upbeat and quirky, just like Ron, and yet it really works for what's going on. I just love it. Hope you enjoyed, and the chapters.

Reviews are always appreciated btw.


	14. Home

A/N: I was chillin in the computer lab at 4 am on a Wednesday morning when I started this chapter. Because I love you guys that much.

MWAH.

Oh, and I even gave you a little lemon. And this is my longest chapter yet. How I am so productive now that I have no computer? I HOPE YOU'RE HAPPY.

This is a chapter I lost part of, so it's kinda different than I had originally imagined…but…still…it's one of my favorites so far. And I hope you like it as much as I do. (Remember when I said I hated author's notes? Psh, lies.)

And I want you to know this chapter will (as much as it pains me to say it) not have Harry. I tried, but it was long, and he was cut before I even wrote his part. Not that it would have affected the way the chapter ended anyway. But there will be Charlie! But there will be no confrontation between him and Ron…yet.

Also, HAPPY HALLOWEEN! I'm going as Lily Evans and carrying around a doll with green eyes. What are you all going as?

And the song is Home by Daughtry because that's all I could really think of without iTunes or youtube to aid me.

* * *

><p><em>Be careful what you wish for,<br>'Cause you just might get it all.  
>You just might get it all,<br>And then some you don't want._

* * *

><p>I woke up around nine and had barely made it down the stairs when I found myself on the first story bathroom's tile floor, kneeling before the toilet while I felt like my guts were being yanked out from within me. My mum found me a few minutes later.<p>

"I was just as bad, if not worse, with you," she said as she patted my head with a cold cloth. "It gets better after the first trimester, dear, I promise. Come on, why don't you try to eat something. You and the little one both need it."

It was still weird to think about "the little one". I couldn't comprehend that there was really someone inside me and yet…I felt it. I felt a connection with my baby, as tiny as it was. Harry had been right. Ever since I had seen it and heard its tiny heart beating, I had been in love. This motivated me to follow Mum into the kitchen, though I regretted it as soon as I stepped inside.

"Charlie," I said barely above a whisper. He was sitting on one of the stools at the island with a mug and a newspaper, looking grim. "Shouldn't you be at work?"

"Taking the day off," he said gruffly before taking a sip of his coffee. "Come look at this headline. Oh, and you forgot your potions supplies." He nodded at the bags of ingredients I had bought yesterday, which were lying a few feet away from him. I walked over to him hesitantly and glanced over his shoulder at the Daily Prophet.

"Oh Merlin," I breathed. "Charlie, he was at my appointment yesterday!" A picture of the younger healer from my appointment was on the front page under a headline announcing his murder. "Last night? That's when they…oh, look, it was right around when they broke in…oh my gosh…oh, no." I wrapped my arms around my abdomen instinctively, thinking of my baby-Ron's baby. If something were to happen to it-

"Harry thought there might be some sort of connection," Charlie said. "You see it, too?" I nodded. "I mean, aside from him being at your appointment."

"He…he knew," I whispered. "He had to have known with the way we were talking." I saw my mum slide out of the kitchen out of the corner of my eye.

Charlie raised an eyebrow at me and I glanced away nervously. "What did he know, Hermione?"

"He-he knew it wasn't yours," I said sadly. "Or at least he could have given information that would lead to that conclusion. I wonder about my actual healer. I hope she's alright. She was Ginny's as well, and-"

"Hermione," Charlie said sternly. I finally chanced a look at him. He seemed rather calm and concerned. "If there's anything you haven't told Harry that you think he needs to know-"

"I told him already that I would tell him," I snapped, and then sighed. "Charlie, I'm sorry, but I've been through all this with Harry already. He knows I'm going to tell him, he doesn't need to guilt me into it anymore."

"He didn't send me over here to guilt trip you," Charlie hissed. "I came over here to bring you some things, and I've taken the day off given everything that happened yesterday."

I looked and saw two of my suitcases leaned against the far wall. "Oh. Oh, Charlie, thank you. You didn't have to-"

"I did have to," he snapped. "I wasn't going to just let you out on your own without any of your things, especially with the way things have been lately. How are you, by the way?" he asked much more gently.

"I'm fine, just tired," I answered. "Well, as fine as I can be. There's so much happening, Charlie. I don't even know where to begin."

He covered one of my hands with his. "You can always start at the beginning." I shook my head and pulled my hand away. "Hermione, I want this to work. I don't care so much if it's someone else's. We can work past that. I can be a father to your child. Isn't that what you want for it?"

I couldn't believe what he was suggesting. "You can't raise his child, Charlie. Please, don't ask again."

"Hermione-"

"I can't be with you," I whispered. "Charlie, please don't make me drag you any further into this than I have to. I still care about you, and I don't want you to get hurt any more than you already have." He was silent. "I'll look into the papers this afternoon."

"I'm not signing those until you see you reason."

"You're the one who needs to see reason," I snapped. "Charlie, we're not together any longer, do you hear me? I'm having someone else's child, and that's it. We're finished."

"Hermione," Charlie said sadly. "I love you."

I shook my head sadly as tears started to fall down my face. "That's not enough," I gasped. "I wish it was, but it's not. I love you, too, but it's not enough."

Charlie sighed and stood up, folding his paper. "It's a sad day in our world when love isn't enough. Do you want this?" He offered me the paper and I shook my head. "Fine. I'm sure I'll see you around."

"S-see you," I managed before he disapparated. Mum came running in as soon as he had left.

"Are you really divorcing Charlie?" She leaned against the doorway and I nodded, not really looking at her. "You're just leaving him?" I nodded again. "And you cheated on him?"

"Yes, Mum," I hissed. "I cheated. I'm not perfect. I cheated and got pregnant. It's perfect karma, isn't it?"

Mum shook her head sadly. "Perfect karma would be an STD. Babies are blessings. And Ron?" I looked up at her fiercely. "He's alive?"

I nodded for the last time. "He's alive."

"How long have you known? And how did it happen?"

"He was never dead," I admitted. "And I found out a few weeks ago." My hands instinctively massaged my abdomen. "And I'm having his baby. I might not ever get to see him again because he's off hiding out somewhere, trying to keep me safe. I might have to do this alone. I might have to raise his child without him. That kills me, but I would rather go it alone than have Charlie stand in for something like that."

I was surprised when my mum agreed. "So you're having Ron's child. That's beautiful, Hermione. You know your father and I love him. I just wish…I wish that this hadn't happened at the expense of Charlie's feelings. His life is being torn apart over this."

"I know," I told her. "I didn't want it to happen, but it has."

"And Ron knows?"

"George says he told him."

"And?"

"I don't know yet, Mum. I just want to see him. I want him here with me. I need him for this."

Somehow, she had made her way to me and was holding me in such a protective way. I could never be as wonderful as she was, or as Molly was. They were natural mothers, and I was…I was unprepared, and scared, and alone. I wasn't the kind of person who could coax her daughter through this kind of situation.

"He knows that," Mum muttered into my ear. "He knows you need him. And he'll come to you. There's not a doubt in my mind that Ron will be around when you need him. That's just the kind of guy he is. I wouldn't be surprised if he showed up this morning looking for you." I choked back a laugh and nodded. "He loves you. And I know he's going to love this baby. He probably does already."

"He stayed away from me all these years because he loved it," I sobbed. "He wanted to prevent this. Mum, this baby might end up like Harry. It might have hundreds of people after it for no reason, and he loved our non-existent child so much that he faked his death to keep it safe. Who does that?"

"Ron, apparently. Now Hermione, I know things have become a mess, but I don't want you to worry about it anymore than you have to. You've got today off work, according to Charlie, anyway, and he said George is coming by tonight."

"What else did he say?" I asked. "He doesn't know about Ron, does he?"

"I don't think so." She sighed. "I don't think it will be long, though. George is going in to work at the shop today. He said he's going to have Percy set it up so that our fireplace is only hooked up to the Burrow and you, so that only the three of them are connected. Well, except for the Burrow, obviously. But you'll be able to get to us quickly without anyone else being able to get to either of us that way. Once he closes shop, he's coming over to speak with us."

"Did he say anything about Harry?"

Mum shook her head. "No, but I'm sure he'll be around. According to George, he wants you under security as much as possible. George is trying to get him to back down, but Harry's really concerned."

"I need to talk to him. Mum, I need to talk to Harry. Do you have any sort of way of getting in touch with him?"

She shook her head. "No. Charlie also said not to mess with the fireplace until he knows it's under working condition. Hermione, baby, everything is going to be all right. Harry and Charlie won't let anything happen to you or your baby. Ron especially won't. You don't have to worry about it. Why don't we get you some breakfast?"

* * *

><p>After a morning of vomiting and an afternoon catching up with my mother, I decided to relax with a book and wait for George. Of course, this was easier said than done. I kept dozing off in the middle of sentences and missing important plot points. Between everything that had happened in the past twenty-four hours and my pregnancy, I was exhausted. I was just climbing the stairs to my room when the doorbell rang.<p>

"I'll get it," I called, reaching for my wand. I looked through the peephole and saw my mother-in-law standing on the other side of the front door. I sighed and braced myself before opening it.

"Hermione," Molly said cheerfully. She hugged me so hard I thought I was going to lose my breath.

"Molly," I gasped as she released me. "It's good to see you. How did you know I was here?"

"Oh, Ginny mentioned it last night. She actually stayed at the Burrow with James while everyone was over at your house. It's a pity, you know. I hope they catch whoever did it. Harry seems to have some sort of idea what it's all about, so I'm sure they'll have them in no time. Well, why don't we sit?"

"Hermione, who is it?" Mum called. She walked in through the sitting room, still wiping her hands on a towel after tending to her garden. "Oh, Molly, how wonderful to see you!" The women exchanged hugs. "Can I get you some tea?"

I watched as they made drinks, both talking anxiously about the break-in. Even in the midst of danger, they seemed perfectly happy to talk and giggle together, which was beyond my fatigued body at this point. Molly looked over just as my head started to fall forward and suggested we move into the sitting room. I took the seat across from her so that we were separated by the coffee table.

Mum sat down beside me as I looked down at my fingers and knotted them together while Molly sipped her tea. "So, Molly…I'm sorry, why have you come here exactly?"

"Oh, forgive me," she said, setting down her cup quickly. "Well, I'm afraid I have many reasons, none of which are very favorable. First of all, I heard about the incident last night, and I wanted to check on you."

"Well, I'm alright. Luckily, we missed them."

"And the baby is alright?"

"Y-you know about the baby?"

Molly gave me a strained smile and sipped her tea again. "Hermione, darling, this brings me to my second reason."

I felt my stomach start doing backflips. "Molly, I-"

"No, no." Molly put her hands up. "I don't need any explanations. Sweetheart, I've known you since you were about twelve, and I want you to know that Arthur and I will always consider you family, regardless of what happens, and the same goes for your parents." Mum smiled and patted my thigh. "That's why we were so thrilled when you married Charlie. After-well, after Ron, we were devastated as it was, but it felt like we were losing you, too. And we didn't want that at all. We still don't want that." Molly looked down at her lap and dabbed at the corner of her eye.

My heart ached to tell her the truth. I wanted her to know that she had no reason to worry about losing me. I wanted her to know that my baby was still her grandchild. But above all, I wanted her to know that Ron was alive. I wanted for her to stop hurting. I was only at the beginning of my pregnancy, and I knew I wouldn't be able to handle losing a child, especially not the way she had lost Ron. I wanted her to hear all of these things, but I couldn't get them out.

"I don't want that either," I managed before my mother could interject. "Molly, I don't want to separate myself from you. You and Arthur have been there for me for so long, and for so much. I don't want to ruin that."

"Well," Molly said brightly. "Then I'm glad we're on the same page there. But I did speak to Charlie earlier today. He came by this morning, and he told me that you were considering a divorce. No, let me finish. Having said what I have, Charlie is my son and it's my job to do what I can to make sure he's healthy and happy, even out of the house. And I think the happiest and healthiest thing for him would be for you two to stay together."

My heart sank. I didn't want this to come between Molly and Arthur and I, at least anymore than it had to. But, as I had expected, Molly was going to do everything in her power to intervene. What she didn't know was that I was not going to back down.

"I'm not going to stay with him," I said firmly. "I won't let Charlie raise a child that isn't his. I won't do it."

Molly's smile disappeared. "Hermione, dear, listen to reason. You have people coming after you, and though Harry might know what's going on, it's still dangerous. That boy who was at your appointment yesterday is dead, and you're obviously at risk. You have to stay with someone."

"I'm with my parents."

"And I'm sure they have good intentions, but what good will that do if Death Eaters show up on their doorstep, hm?"

"She's right, Hermione," Mum said suddenly. "We'd be no match against any wizards who might come here looking for you."

Molly nodded. "You see? It's not safe. Charlie can defend you. And your child will need a father. Charlie tells me the biological one isn't around, and you're going to need someone in its life."

"He's not around because of extenuating circumstances," I cried. "It's not like he doesn't want to be there."

"That doesn't change the fact that children need fathers," Molly said softly. "I'm not trying to attack you, Hermione. I'm trying to look after you. And I think it's in your best interest for you to stay with Charlie. He loves you, and he's willing to step up, and he'll protect you. I don't see what could be wrong with that."

"What's wrong is that he's not the father," I said pleadingly. "Molly, my child has a father, and it's not Charlie. I can't pretend. I can't lie to my child about that."

"No one is telling you to lie-"

"Hermione, she has a point," Mum said. "Your baby needs a male role model in its life, one way or another."

"No, please, just listen," I begged. "Mum, can you give us a second?"

"Oh, of course," Mum said quickly. "Here, Molly, let me refill your mug. I waited until she had left to start talking again.

"This isn't something I want Charlie mixed up in. I know what Harry's thinking, and he's in the right direction. This isn't about catching people for trashing my living room. It's something much darker and deeper than that, and it's not going to get any better, I'm afraid. And Charlie shouldn't be part of it."

Molly looked puzzled. "Dear, why are _you_ getting mixed up in it?"

I sighed, exasperated. "I don't have much of a choice. No, I don't have a choice at all." Her eyes moved to where I was gripping my stomach.

"This has something to do with the baby?"

"This has everything to do with the baby."

Molly frowned. "Hermione, there are things you're not telling me."

"There are things I'm not telling a lot of people," I retorted. "And I want to tell you. Honestly, Molly, there are things I want to tell you more than anybody, but I can't."

Frustrated, Molly sighed. "Alright. That's alright. There are things Harry's keeping from me, too." She chuckled. "Charlie said he thought Harry might be the father. I haven't heard anything so ridiculous in my life, have you?"

I smiled. "Not many things can compete with that one. It's not Harry's. I remember when he asked me, I had to stop myself from laughing."

"Do you mind me asking…is it someone I know?"

I hesitated and then nodded slowly. Molly frowned and sighed. "Molly, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry for all the pain I've caused. That's not what I wanted to do at all."

"Charlie tells me you're in love with him," she said quietly.

"Oh, but I am," I admitted immediately. "So much. I wish I could just tell you, but…oh, why do things have to be like this?" I asked myself. "He's wonderful. He's really wonderful, and don't take this the wrong way, but I know you would absolutely adore him."

Molly's eyebrow rose. "You said I already know him. Maybe I do adore him. Does that make me a bad person, to adore the man who ruined my son's marriage?"

"You do adore him," I swelled. "And under the circumstances, no. Molly, I was wondering if you had talked to George since last night?"

She nodded, bringing herself out of thought. "Yes, I spoke with him last night after he brought you here, and he popped by on his lunch break. He actually is another reason I'm here. He wanted me to meet him when he got off work. Arthur, too."

I gulped. "He-he did?" She nodded. "Oh. Oh, alright. I'm so sorry, but do you mind if I go up for a bit of a nap? Of course, if you had anything else you wanted to-"

"No, no, I'm done with what I had to say," Molly said quickly. "I'll have some tea with your mum before George comes around. He should be here in about an hour, don't you think?" I checked the clock; it was about a quarter after four. "Yes, that's just enough time to give you a nice nap. Go on, then. I'll let your mother know where you've gone off to."

"Thank you, Molly," I said warmly. Surprisingly, she hugged me when I stood up and helped me to the stairs. I could see now where Charlie's hovering sense of care came from. I trudged up to my room and flopped back on my bed, letting my dreams completely take me.

* * *

><p>"Hermione? Hermione, Love, wake up. It's time to go."<p>

I groaned and opened my eyes grudgingly. It sounded like people were arguing somewhere in the house. I looked around and focused my eyes on the thing in front of me-the best surprise of my life, which stared back at me with a sad gleam in his blue eyes. "Ron?"

He smiled down at me and kissed my forehead. "It's me. I'm here for you. For both of you."

"Both?"

"I've come to make sure the two of you are safe." Ron placed his hand on my stomach and I smiled at him. "We've got to get going. I have to go talk to Mum and Dad before we leave."

"Have they already seen you?" I asked as I sat up. I wrapped myself completely around him and leaned the side of my face against his. I was still so groggy that I couldn't hold myself up. His hand never left my abdomen.

"Do you think Mum would have left my side if they had?" he chuckled. "Let's get your things together. Have you done much unpacking?"

"No, just a little in the bathroom, but I can do that. All my things are over against the wall. Ron, I don't feel so good."

"Go ahead, I'll wait." I stumbled into my bathroom and vomited everything I had eaten for lunch. Once I recovered, I brushed my teeth and threw my things together, back into their tiny bag. Ron was waiting for me outside the bathroom door and took my bag.

"Ron," I said again. "I can't believe it's you. You're here. Oh, Ron, I've missed you." I stepped onto my tiptoes to kiss him. He grabbed one of my hips and returned it while leaning down to lower me back to the ground.

"I'm going to take you with me," Ron said. "Just like you asked last time. It's going to be the three of us now. We don't have any other choice."

"I don't care if there are other choices," I whined. "I like this one. I want to be with you."

Ron frowned and pushed some hair behind my ear. "I know you do. I want to be with you, too. So it works out for both of us now that the safest thing for our baby is to be together."

"Our baby," I hummed. "I love the way that sounds."

Ron smiled. "Me, too. I'm going to take good care of you and our baby. No more breaking in. No more worries. Just you, me, and baby."

"Sounds good," I whispered as tears filled my eyes. I followed him down to the foyer, where he sat my things next to the staircase. The voices I had heard were much more audible now, and they were coming from the kitchen. I gripped Ron's hand and started to move forward, but he didn't move with me. "Ron?"

"Hang on," he breathed. He closed his eyes and inhaled a few times. "I haven't seen my parents in almost six years. They think I'm dead."

"Hey." I stroked his cheek and he opened his eyes. "They're going to be so happy. They're going to have their son back."

Ron shook his head. "Not really. We'll be off hiding. It won't make a whole lot of difference-"

"It will," I insisted. "Just knowing that you're out there and okay will make them feel so much better than they do now."

Ron nodded. "If you say so."

I grabbed his hand again. "Ready?" He nodded slowly. I had never seen him look so terrified, even during the war.

"George, tell me again," I heard Arthur say. "You want us to be secret keepers for Hermione."

"That pretty much sums it up."

"But she'll be living with her boyfriend, or whatever it is this guy is to her."

"He's the father of her child, and yes, she'll be living with him."

"I won't do it," Molly shrieked. "I love Hermione, I do, and I don't want anything to happen to her or that baby. But I can't condone her leaving my son. I can't do this to Charlie. Now, if she were going into hiding with _him_, then-"

"Why is she going into hiding again?" Dad asked.

"There's a prophecy that affects her baby," George said. "You'll have to ask Harry for details. I can't recall them all."

"Well, does the father know?" Arthur asked. "Why don't we just ask him when they come downstairs?"

"Dad, fine, whatever," George said impatiently. "Maybe Mum's out, but I need you to do this for Hermione. For our family."

"Our family," Molly scoffed. "You're tearing our family apart doing this, George."

"Molly," Arthur said warningly.

"No, let me finish," Molly said. "Yes, I love Hermione, and I will always, _always_ consider her to be part of our family. But think about what you're doing to your brother right now."

"I am thinking about my brother, Mum," George snarled. "Charlie doesn't need to get dragged into this, and…and…"

I looked up at Ron, who looked miserable. We were standing in the shadows just outside the kitchen door, and I could see his parents. Molly had her back to the door, sitting across from my father. Mum was staring at George from his right, and Arthur stood across from his son. He looked pensive, and I wondered if he was still considering what George had asked of him.

"See?" Molly hissed. "You can't even finish because you know what you're doing is going to kill him. Why are you getting in the middle? Why can't you let Hermione and Charlie work it out?"

"They're not going to work it out, Mum," George said sadly. "Hermione's in love with someone else. That's the end of it."

I squeezed Ron's hand gently. "Come on. Sounds like our cue," I whispered. He smiled down at me and kissed the top of my head. I pulled him into the doorway and took a step forward as Arthur turned to look in our direction. The thoughtful expression he had been displaying was replaced by pure shock. I looked back and forth between him and Ron as the two pairs of identical eyes stared wordlessly at each other.

"Who else could she be in love with?" Molly shrieked. "I'm not saying Charlie is the love of her life. We all know that's what Ron was. But after everything she's been through with Charlie? Who else could there be?"

Arthur took a few steps towards us as Molly spoke. He and Ron didn't break eye contact for even a second. George watched cautiously and my mum nearly dropped her mug of tea.

"George, I understand your concern," Molly continued. "I do, and I will gladly do anything else to keep Hermione and he child safe, but this is beyond my limits. And I think your father will agree that-"

"Is it really…?" Arthur trailed off as he stared at his son. Ron nodded. The amount of emotion that flooded his face overwhelmed me. It was the most relieved I had ever seen a person in my lifetime. His eyes swelled with tears. "M-Molly."

"No, Arthur, I can't do this to Charlie," she continued without looking away from George.

"Dad," Ron croaked. "Dad, I'm so sorry."

Arthur shook his head. "No, Ron, don't be."

"I had to do it, Dad. I couldn't-Dad, I'm sorry," Ron cried as Arthur embraced his son for the first time in years.

Molly finally turned to look, but it was impossible for her to understand when all she saw was fluffs of red hair and plaid sleeves. She looked at me questioningly and back at her husband and son when she saw that there were tears streaming down my face. "Arthur, what are you-" Ron and Arthur pulled apart to look at her. "Oh my…is it…Ron?" Ron nodded, still unable to speak properly as he was crying. "Is that my baby? But I thought you…I thought…"

"I can explain, Mum," Ron managed. "It's horrible, but I can explain everything." She held out her arms for him and he walked straight into them (it was lucky she was sitting on a stool). "I'm sorry, Mum. I've missed you so much."

"You're alive," Molly whispered. She was crying heavily now. "Oh, thank Merlin, you're alive. Ron, I've missed you so much. Where have you been? Oh, my baby."

I leaned against the frame of the doorway and watched as Ron was reunited with his parents while tears streamed down my own face. I could hardly believe that he was here, in my parents' kitchen, about to take me away with him. The thought made my heart swell. We were going to raise our baby together.

"Oh, I can't take this," my mum finally exclaimed as she left her seat. "Ron, come here." She embraced him in a tight hug and my dad did the same. Everyone cried and hugged some more all while asking Ron where he had been and what he had been doing and why-why did he have to go?

"Hermione," Ron said suddenly. He waved me over to him and wrapped his arms around me. I looked up at him questioningly. "Will you help me tell everything?"

"Of course," I said gently, wiping some tears from his face. "But I was wondering-"

"Ron!" Molly gasped suddenly. "Do you mean to tell me that this baby is yours?"

Ron pulled me closer to him and nodded. "Yeah, it looks like it. She's having my baby."

Molly looked back and forth between us, and then at George. "I don't want to hurt Charlie," George said. "That's not anyone's intention."

"I know it's not your intention," Molly said gently. "But, Ron, you had to have known."

"I knew." He was holding me securely, like he was trying to shield me from everything his mother was about to say to us.

"Then…then why?" Her voice broke as she asked. "Why did you do it? You knew, and you went ahead and-"

"Because I love her," Ron snapped quickly. "And I know what you're thinking, and of course I care about Charlie. He's my brother, and after everything he's done for Hermione while I've been gone, I'll always be thankful. But I love her. I love her, and she's mine. Even right now, I can't stay across the room from her for more than two minutes. I was with her for two weeks, and I couldn't keep my hands off her."

"I'm surprised we made it that long," I admitted.

"Two weeks?" Molly asked. "When were you together for two weeks? Hermione, how long have you known about all of this?"

"Not even for two months," I said. "It's really a long story. Perhaps we should all sit down. The sitting room is probably better suited for this conversation."

We migrated to the sitting room. Ron sat down next to me on the loveseat and George took the armchair beside me. Our parents cluttered onto the couch across from us. "Well," Ron began, looking from George to me. I smiled reassuringly, despite my returning nausea. "You look really green, Hermione."

"I'm fine," I lied. "Oh, what about Harry? I think we should wait for him."

Ron shook his head. "No, I'll talk to you about Harry later."

"But, Ron-"

"Later."

I crossed my arms and leaned into him as he wrapped his arm around my shoulders. "Fine. But don't think I'm letting it go."

"Why can't Harry know?" Arthur asked. "Ron, I think if this has to do with what danger Hermione's in, then-"

"Then Harry should be the last to know," George interjected. I turned around and glared at him.

"That's stupid. Harry would be able to help us. And he should know about Ron. I almost told him. I was going to tell him, and-"

"Not yet," Ron said. "Someday, but not yet."

"Well are you ever going to tell _us_?" Molly asked.

Ron sighed and nodded. "Yeah, alright. Well, it all started when Harry and I had this case…"

Ron and George explained everything. They went into detail about the prophecy and Ron explained why he didn't think he could stick around. George explained how he'd been working for the shop behind the scenes for the past few years to help him out. They talked about Ron faking his death (at which point Molly sobbed quite heavily) and George resurrecting him. I didn't have to pipe in until Ron got to the part where I found him. I told them how I didn't want him to disappear right away, so I didn't tell a soul, and how it became about keeping his secret safe for the very reason he had it in the first place. Never once were we interrupted, and when we finished forty minutes later, Arthur was the first one to speak.

"So in spite of every precaution you've taken, fate has decided that you two are going to have a prophecy baby?"

Ron nodded. "Assuming the baby comes early, yes. We've only got about a week to work with in regards to that. But that's where all the signs point. That's why we have to go into hiding."

"But Neville and the Malfoy boy haven't gone into hiding," Molly piped in.

"Neville and Malfoy haven't had someone break into their house," Ron pointed out.

"And I think former Death Eaters would rather get their revenge through Ron and Hermione than either of the other two," George said. "They're both Harry's best friends. They destroyed horcruxes, and they fought. Mum, you killed Bellatrix, who probably would have been their ringleader if she'd survived. It would give them the most satisfaction, and it would kill Harry. Their baby's the most valuable in this equation."

"Wait a second," Mum said. "Bellatrix, I know that name. And you killed her?" she asked Molly.

"She was going after my daughter. I wasn't going to lose another child that night." She realized what she had said and frowned at Ron. "You have no idea how happy I am that you're alive."

Ron smiled at her. "I'm sorry, Mum. I'm sorry for everything." She shook her head at him. "No, I am. There might have been another way. But I put you through so much pain, and I'm sorry for that."

"I know," Molly choked. "I know you are. But I know why you did what you did. I at least understand your reasoning."

"Bellatrix…that does sound familiar," my dad muttered to himself.

"Mum, Dad," I said. "She's the one who tortured me." Ron flinched and pulled me as close to him as he possibly could. "That's where you know her name from." Ron kissed my temple.

"I'm still sorry about that," he whispered.

"It wasn't your fault," I hissed at him. "And you saved me. You're the reason I'm here."

"Oh," Mum said, taken aback. "I see. I…I didn't realize…oh, Molly. Thank you. I owe you for that. I would have killed her with my own hands if I could have."

"You and me both," Ron added. "But listen, if we tell Harry, then it'll become news to the department. Maybe not about me, but at least that our child is a candidate for this prophecy. The fewer people who know about it, the better."

"But someone already knows, Ron," Dad said. "That's why they broke in last night."

"But there's no real evidence that it's linked, aside from that boy's murder," George said. "If they catch the guys who did it and throw them in Azkaban, that's the end of it. If we let everyone know Ron's back and that the baby could be the prophecy baby, then word gets out throughout the Ministry. When this first came out, the Ministry wasn't cleared out completely. It took a few years to get it clean again. Sometimes, they still find Death Eater activity going on under the radar. It's not as often, but it still happens, and if there's someone still here who gets this information, all they have to do is get turned in and carted off to Azkaban where they have hundreds of Death Eaters and people who know about the prophecy waiting to hear new word. That's going to encourage them, and you can bet we'll have a mass breakout not too long after headed straight for Ron and Hermione."

"And I know for a fact that there are people in Azkaban who know about that prophecy," Ron said. "I helped put some of them behind bars, and so did Harry. There have been a few more since I've been gone who know. We can't be too careful."

"We can't tell Harry?" I asked sadly. Ron shook his had. "But…but I promised him. It doesn't mean he has to tell-"

"Of course he'll tell, Hermione," Ron said. "And even if he doesn't, putting tons of protection on you is going to make them all suspicious, and you can bet that's what Harry will want to do. And I'm sure he'll tell Neville, maybe even Malfoy. It's just not a good idea. I want Harry to know, but it's not ideal. Not right now."

I sighed. "Fine. I guess I understand that. But I don't like the idea of going off into hiding without at least being able to say goodbye."

"It's not goodbye for good, Hermione," George said. "It's just until we can make sure you're safe. I've taken care of work for you. You have the next month off, and if we need to extend it, we'll go from there."

"I bet Edgar wasn't happy," I muttered.

"Who cares," Ron snorted. "He's a prat anyway."

"Ron's right," Arthur said. "Everything's about keeping you safe right now. And Edgar isn't the most understanding bloke on the planet. It is what it is."

"We'll be hooked up to your parents' house and the Burrow on the floo network," Ron said. "Just incase anything goes wrong. Oh, and George's house, of course. But we shouldn't have anything go wrong. It's just a precaution," he added quickly.

"Where are we going?" I asked timidly.

"It's a secret," George said. "And only you, Ron, Dad, and I will know. Sorry," he said, turning to my parents and Molly. "Safety precautions, you know."

"Of course," my father said. "But we'll be able to contact you, Hermione. Right?"

"Yeah, I'll even let you have Pig, if you want," Ron said. "He'll know where to find us."

"Oh, that's perfect," I said. "You'll love him, Mum. He's a very…energetic sort of bird."

"Great," Dad muttered sarcastically. "Well, as long as we can stay in touch. When do you have to get going?"

"As soon as possible," George said, checking his watch. "Ron, we might have to get Harry."

"What?" Ron exclaimed. "I thought we agreed that was a bad idea."

"Yeah, but we still need a secret keeper," George said. "I'm not going to risk having you two in hiding with no extra protection, and I can't really do it if I'm performing the charm."

"Oh, Arthur, do it," Molly shrieked. "You have to. This is our son! And then you can keep in contact with him, and our grandchild will be safe, and so will they. Arthur, please."

I gaped at her complete swap in beliefs. "Of course," Arthur said immediately. "Of course I'll do it for you two. George, let's get going. Where to?"

After tearful goodbyes to my parents and Molly, who insisted that she would be visiting with Arthur as the pregnancy got more and more difficult to handle, George and Ron took Arthur and I to a forest via side-along apparition. I stumbled and Ron grabbed me before I could regain my balance.

"It's just a few yards North," Ron said, pointing to our right. "C'mon, let's go." It was only a matter of seconds before we came into the clearing with his home. It was a tiny yellow bungalow with a bright red door and black shutters. Plants hung on the awning over the front porch, where sat a rocking chair, which currently held-

"Crookshanks!" I cried. The cat hopped down and lazily trotted over to us. "I can't believe he knew to come here."

"Not the first time he's been here," Ron mumbled as the cat brushed against his leg. "Well, this is it."

"It's charming," I said in awe. "I love it. Do you mind if I look around inside?"

"Go for it," George said. "We're just going to go ahead with the charm and we'll be inside." I nodded and grabbed one of my suitcases before I passed through the bright door. As soon as I walked in, I sighed in content. It smelled like Ron. It looked like Ron. The sitting room had a dark wooden floor, which was covered with a beige rug. The walls were a dark shade of red. His couch matched the rug, but the armchairs across from them were mismatched completely. Unable to resist, I set to work, giving the rug a lovely blue border and floral design. I changed his armchairs to match the couch and added red checkers to one.

"Perfect," I told Crookshanks, who was purring on the checkered chair. "This place needed a woman's touch, don't you think?"

"It looks great, Hermione," Ron said in awe as the three Weasley boys appeared in the door. "Are you going to do the whole house?"

"Yeah, not bad, Hermione," George said. "It looks like more than a bachelor's pad. Well, Dad and I have to get going. I think the longer we hang around here, the worse it could be. Plus, I bet Harry's going to be over at your parents' any second, and he's going to throw a fit."

"Oh, no," I gasped. "We didn't prepare them for that! I don't think Charlie even knows I'm here."

"He doesn't," George said. "Which is why we have to head them off."

"I think we're just going to reassure them that you're in good hands," Arthur told me. "Of course, they'll be worried, but this is the best we can do. We can't tell them about Ron yet. Son, you have no idea how happy your mother and I are," he said as he pulled Ron into another hug. "After all these years, this is the best thing that could have ever happened. I'm so glad you're alive and well. Even if you have to be away from us for now-"

"Told you," I hissed at Ron.

"But we'll be around a lot," Arthur said. "Especially as it gets closer to being time for the baby. We're going to make sure we're in our grandchild's life, you know."

"We wouldn't have it any other way," I smiled.

"Excellent," Arthur said as he hugged me. "We're on the same page then. Well, I expect I'll be around in the next week sometime. Assume I'll be using the fireplace." He hugged Ron again. "I can barely believe it. I've missed you, Ron. We've all missed you."

"I've missed you all, too," Ron said sadly. "You have no idea."

"Keep in touch," George said. "Don't hesitate to owl or floo if the slightest thing seems out of the ordinary."

The door slammed shut behind George and Ron turned around slowly to face me. "So."

I smiled at him. "So." We stared at each other with stupid grins plastered on both our faces for several moments.

"Are you hungry?" he asked suddenly. "I can make you something. I bet you and the baby are starving."

"Later," I said as I advanced on him.

"Well you must be tired," Ron snickered. "You were practically falling over the whole time we were at your parents'."

"I'm not that tired anymore," I told him honestly. "Where's your bedroom?"

Ron gaped at me. "Seriously? I get you back here when we have all of this going on, and all you can think about is sex?"

I shook my head. "I could want to see your bedroom for lots of reasons. I could be tired."

"You just said you're not."

I grinned at him wickedly. "Oh, Ron, please. You think you know me so well, don't you?" I shook my head at him. "Fine. I'll just go looking on my own."

He sighed. "Upstairs, door on the left."

"You're not coming with me?" I asked sadly as I slowly ascended to the second story.

"I'll meet you up there," he said. "I thought I'd get dinner started."

"Ron," I whined. "All you can think about is food? When you just got me back after how long?"

"Oh, fuck it," Ron said. He met me halfway up the stairs and pressed his lips to mine firmly. "I'm not that hungry anyway." He slid his arms under me and carried me upstairs and down the short hall into his bedroom. He threw me on his bed and I started to look around when he threw himself on top of me.

"Mm, Ron," I moaned. "I missed you." We kissed quickly and fiercely as he tugged on our clothes until there was nothing left but knickers. "Ron-"

"Shh," he said. "Right now, I just want you. We have all the time in the world to talk now." He took one of my breasts in his mouth and sucked. I moaned and arched my back, moving myself up closer to him.

"Ron," I hissed as he repeated the action before moving on to the other. I massaged his scalp like I always did when he drove me wild. "Mm, that feels so good." I removed my hands from his hair and tugged down on his pants. He took them off quickly as I shed my knickers and I wrapped my legs around his waist as I sat up and grabbed his shoulders. "Ron," I said again.

"Hm?" he asked as he slid into me. "Oh my god, Hermione," he breathed before he crushed his lips forcefully to mine.

"I…I…" I stopped talking and cried out. "I'm so glad I'm…here…with you-oh, _Ron_, just like-_ah,_ _yes_."

It wasn't long before we climaxed together, intoxicated entirely by each other. Ron made me lie back on the bed after and cradled me in his arms. "Hermione, babe, I fucking love you."

I tilted my head to stare into his eyes. It was still surreal that I was with him, in his house, ready to spend my life with him-and with our child. "I love you more."

Ron snorted. "False."

"But I'm carrying your baby for you," I countered sleepily. "I automatically win."

Ron smirked at me. "Fine, you win for now." He kissed me tenderly. Then he slid down my body and kissed my stomach. "Hey, little buddy. I'm gonna go make us dinner. You two need your rest."

"Whatever you say, Doctor Weasley," I joked before he kissed me again. "I don't need food. Just stay here with me."

"_I_ need food," Ron said as he pulled on his shirt. "And trust me when I say you'll have me with you all night."

"Looking forward to it, Love," I called as he left the room. I pulled back the crème colored comforter, intending to take a nap, but stopped when I saw the violently orange sheets beneath. "I can't believe it," I giggled as I dressed myself quickly and moved back down to the kitchen. Ron jumped when I hugged him from behind.

"Fucking hell, Hermione, give me a heart attack while you're at it."

"You have orange sheets," I laughed into his back.

"Yeah, so?"

I kissed him over his shirt. "I missed you, Ron." I couldn't stop the tears from falling any longer. "I really did. And I'm so happy that I'm with you right now."

Ron turned off the oven and turned around to wrap me in his arms. "Hermione, I'm sorry for the way things have been. I'm so sorry. But from now on, they're going to be wonderful. We're going to catch those idiots who are after our baby-if our baby even is the prophecy baby-and we're going to raise it and be together until we die. And then we'll be reincarnated and find each other all over again, or live on as ghosts together, like the Grey Lady and the Bloody Baron."

"But less tragic," I sniffed.

"Yes, much less tragic," Ron agreed. "Hermione, I love you. And nothing is going to stand in our way ever again."

"Promise?" I asked, looking up at him. He nodded.

"I absolutely promise you that nothing is going to come between us ever again," Ron said softly. He kissed me and turned back around. "Now pull yourself together long enough for me to make us dinner, okay?"

I giggled and took a seat at the kitchen table. "Will do." I sighed as I watched him cooking, occasionally humming or swearing when he messed something up or got burnt. I let it sink in like I had earlier in the week when I had gone home to Charlie. This was going to be my life. This was it. It was Ron and me, and we were going to have a family. We were going to be together until I was old and gray. I couldn't have been happier.

Assuming, of course, that we would make it to the 'old and gray' stage.

* * *

><p><em>I'm going home, back to the place where I belong,<br>And where your love has always been enough for me.  
>I'm not running from, no, I think you got me all wrong.<br>I don't regret this life I chose for me.  
>But these places and these faces are getting old,<br>So I'm going home._

* * *

><p>My penname is veritaserumkills and I like reviews :D. And I love my readers!<em><br>_


	15. I Think It's Going to Rain Today

A/N: Well, I have a new laptop. :D But between Doctor Who, classes, and holidays, my writing hasn't been what it should be. But the semester is almost over, so updates will, hopefully, become more frequent.

Also…NEVILLE.

And Malfoy. Yahoo. (Haha I was listening to Gives You Hell when I wrote his part.)

Thank you everyone who reviewed the last chapter. You know they make me want to write more!

I Think It's Going to Rain Today-Norah Jones/Bette Midler/Randy Newman (take your pick!)

* * *

><p><em>Scarecrows <em>_dressed __in __the __latest __styles,__  
>the <em>_frozen __smiles __to __chase __love __away.  
>Human <em>_kindness __is __overflowing,  
>and <em>_I __think __it's __gonna __rain __today._

* * *

><p>Draco tightened his tie and smoothed out his crisp black shirt before tucking it into his slacks. He carefully avoided wrinkles as he finished dressing and pulled on his jacket.<p>

"Astoria?" he called to his wife. "Darling, are you ready?"

Astoria walked back into the bedroom and grabbed a pair of deep purple heels, which matched the headband in her chestnut hair. "I'm nearly done, sweetheart. Oh, did you hear back from Blaise about tomorrow? I've been promising Daphne we'd have brunch for weeks now, and still, we haven't planned a single thing."

"He replied just this morning. Apparently, they're having breakfast with his parents. They're available next Saturday." Draco looked at his flawless reflection and smoothed a patch of already flattened hair. "Have you told your sister?"

Astoria stiffened and dropped the shoe she had been sliding on. "No. I…I don't want to steal her spotlight. Oh, don't look at me like that," she hissed as she retrieved her shoe. "You know I'm dying to tell her. Look, I'll do it next Saturday. This isn't something you tell _in__a_ _letter_ to your own _sister_."

"Steal her spotlight?" Draco sneered. "This is her third child. This is our first. She lost the spotlight after she popped out the first little monster."

"Oh, he's not a monster. He adores you, Draco. Worships you, practically. You're all he ever talks about." Draco rolled his eyes. "Darling, you're going to have to warm up to children soon."

Draco shook his head. "Maybe not. I'm sorry," he said immediately. "You know I didn't…I hate this. I hate not knowing how to feel, or what to say. I'm sick of it."

Astoria pulled her husband into a tight embrace as he rested his head on her shoulder. "Draco, it's not going to be us. It can't be us. I'm sure the Longbottoms will be the ones."

"They'd probably much rather get revenge on my mother than Longbottom," Draco growled. "Not that I'm not grateful for what she did. But our child doesn't stand a chance if they come after it."

"Nonsense." Astoria rubbed his back soothingly. "We've got all our family backing us, and you know your parents would do anything for this child, as would mine. My sister won't let us get stuck in a tight spot, either. Our child is going to be fine. Draco, you have to believe me. We're as good as we believe we're going to be."

Draco looked up at her and nodded, but didn't remove himself from her embrace. "I suppose you're right. I'll have a chat with Potter on Monday as well. I'll see if there's anything new we should know."

Astoria smiled beautifully at him. "Lovely. Now, just let me brush my teeth, and we'll be off. I hate to keep your parents waiting." While she finished, Draco observed himself in the mirror, feeling that no matter how many times Astoria said otherwise, their child was destined for some sort of doom.

* * *

><p>By the time I woke up, the sun was blindingly bright. I blinked several times before my eyes were able to handle the intensity. It took me a few moments to remember where I was, but when I did, I smiled and burrowed further into the arms of the man holding me.<p>

"Ron," I mumbled into his chest. When he didn't stir, I looked up at his face. "Ron." He groaned and readjusted a bit, but his eyes remained closed. I climbed on top of him and leaned down next to his ear. "Ron," I whispered before kissing the tender spot just behind his ear. "Wake up, Love."

I lifted myself a bit and looked down into the finally opened pools of blue. He grinned at me madly and ran one of his hands through my monstrous hair. "Good morning," he grumbled in a gravelly morning voice.

"Good morning, darling," I breathed, suddenly overwhelmed by the luck of my situation. Ron wiped a stray tear from my cheek. "I don't think you know how glad I am to be here with you."

Ron pulled me into his arms and nodded. "I do. You don't know how happy I am to have you here. I just wish the circumstances were better."

"And I wish…I wish I could have told Harry goodbye." Ron started to talk, but I cut him off. "I promised him, Ron. I promised him that I would tell him everything, and then I just disappeared. I didn't even get a chance to explain. He's going to be so angry. And he'll worry. I don't want him to worry anymore. He's done enough worrying."

"You don't think he'd be worrying if he knew where you were?" Ron asked. "Or who you're with?"

"But it would be better than not knowing, don't you think?" I looked up at Ron's frowning face. "Now his imagination will run wild, and he won't have the slightest idea…I miss him already. I've never had to stay away from him like this. I don't know how long I can do it for."

"It gets easier," Ron admitted. "Especially if we have each other for company, it'll be a lot easier."

"Does it ever get bearable? Not being able to see Harry and your family?"

Ron chuckled. "You say that like he's not part of my family. No, I wouldn't call it bearable. Tolerable, maybe. You do what you have to, you know? It just becomes habit."

I sighed as Ron ran his hands up and down my back. "Habit. I don't like the sound of it. I can't believe you've been doing this for as long as you have. All for our baby, before it even existed."

Ron's hand found its way to my stomach as I said this. "I'd do anything for you, Hermione, you know that. And I'll do anything for our baby. I can't wait to meet the little guy."

"Little _guy_?" I propped myself up on my elbows and raised my eyebrows at him. "What about little _girl_? It might be a girl."

"Doubtful."

"Ron!"

"Of course it _might_ be," Ron said, rolling his eyes. "But I'm ninety percent sure we've got a boy cooking in the oven." I slapped his arm. "What?"

"You're so crude," I hissed before I broke into another smile. "I missed it. Do it more often," I demanded before rewarding his oh-so-very Ron behavior with a passionate kiss.

"Yes ma'am," Ron mumbled against my lips. "I love you, Hermione. And our son."

"Or daughter," I grumbled against his neck.

"Or daughter," he relented. "Which is more than likely a boy."

"_Ronald!"_

* * *

><p>Harry gaped at Mrs. Granger.<p>

"What do you mean? She's really not here?" Mrs. Granger shook her head. "I thought she was going to come here to stay, to stay safe. She wasn't at work yesterday and her boss told me she'd taken a leave of absence. She's not with Charlie. Where is she?"

Mrs. Granger gave him a strained smile and shook her head slightly. "Harry, dear, I'm sorry, but I can't-"

"Mrs. Granger, this could be a matter of life or death," Harry whispered harshly. He didn't want to worry her more than he needed to, but he was at the end of his last nerve. His best friend was in trouble, trouble which she had yet to explain to him, and now she was missing.

Mrs. Granger sighed. "I'm sorry, but I can't tell you anything, Harry. I know that she's safe. I promise you she's safe, and that's the best I can-"

"How can she be safe?" Harry exclaimed. "She's got no protection, and everyone who would be able to give her any has no clue where she-"

"Harry," Mr. Granger said from behind his wife. "Do you really think we would send our daughter and grandchild off with someone we didn't think could keep them safe?"

Harry huffed. "Mrs. Granger, you could have been easily hoodwinked by some of these people. How do you know they were-"

"George was the one with all the big plans," Mr. Granger admitted. "And Hermione was more than willing to go with them. Trust me, Harry, we were skeptical at first, but-"

"I'm sorry, but who were _they,_ exactly?"

"Well, George and Arthur," Mrs. Granger laughed. "And, of course, her child's father. They all knew what they were doing. Arthur especially wouldn't let anything happen to Hermione, I know that for a fact."

"Arthur?" Harry exclaimed. "Arthur Weasley? My father-in-law?"

"The one and only," Mr. Granger said.

"Are you-are you _sure?__"_ Harry wheezed. There was no way Arthur would go behind his back. No, there was no way he would go behind _Charlie__'__s_ back. They had to have been misled. Some imposter had to have taken Hermione away. Harry's heart was running at top speed.

"It was him, Harry," Mrs. Granger said softly, placing a hand on his arm. "I know you're concerned. Don't be. Hermione knows what she's doing. She knows who to trust. We've already received an owl from her today, telling us she's settled and everything. And yes, it was Arthur and George, I'm more than positive."

Harry stayed silent. He tried to think positively. Hermione could be off with the stranger, safe from harm. But George and Arthur? Were they really in on it? Hermione hadn't told him anything. Why would she have told Arthur and not him?

"There's more," Harry finally said. "There's more you're not telling me.' The Grangers exchanged nervous looks. "There were things Hermione was going to tell me. She promised me she would. She knew it was important for me to know whatever it was. It had to do with the baby, didn't it?" he hissed.

"Now, Harry," Mrs. Granger started. "Dear, we can't-"

"She was going to tell me," Harry insisted.

"Yes, I know, and she wanted to tell you so desperately," Mrs. Granger added quickly. "She begged them to let her tell you, but they said it would be best if you were out of the loop for…for just a little while longer. I know they'll tell you all about it when the timing is right." She gave him a reassuring smile. "I'm sorry, Harry. I wish I could tell you more. I know you're upset. I'm sure, though, if you go and talk to Arthur, he'll be happy to tell you what he can."

Completely torn, Harry nodded. There was no use in interrogating the Grangers any further. There was nothing more they would do for him without the aid of veritaserum, and even then he doubted that he would get solid information. "Right. I'll go to the Burrow now. Thanks for your help, Mr. and Mrs. Granger."

"Of course, Harry. I'm sorry we couldn't help you more," Mrs. Granger said gently. She squeezed his hand and left him to apparate discretely.

* * *

><p>"OI! ANYBODY HOME?"<p>

I reached across Ron for my bra and sighed. "We're upstairs, George," Ron called out. "Give us a minute, will you?" I finished dressing before Ron and moved downstairs to the kitchen, where George sat with a cup of tea and thick file.

"Oh, good," he said upon my arrival. "Just the person I needed to see." He slid the folder across the table and sipped from his mug. I stared at it blankly. "Special delivery, just for you," George added.

"What is it?" I asked, eyeing the papers cautiously.

George sighed and flipped open the cover. "Divorce papers. Went to the Ministry and picked them up for you. This is what you want, right?"

"Of course," I muttered, noting how strange it was for me to want a divorce so badly. I scanned over the papers quickly and was rummaging for a quill when Ron finally joined us.

"What are you looking for?" he asked, eyeing the papers on the table. "Oh, no. You're really going to….well, there's ink in the second to last drawer over there." He pointed me in the right direction and I had barely dipped my quill when I scribbled my name on the several lines that required it.

"George, I need you to sign as my witness. Ron, darling, cheer up," I said, patting his frowning cheek. "This means we can be together, remember?"

"Yeah, but that's my brother," Ron growled. "I broke up my brother's marriage. It's not exactly something I'm proud of."

"That's not what-oh, never mind. We'll talk about it later. So are you going to take these over to Charlie?" I asked as I handed the folder back to George. He nodded.

"It'll probably take me awhile," George started. "He's not going to want to sign them right away. He'll want to talk to you first, but we both know he won't be able to. I'm hoping he'll realize that sooner rather than later so we don't drag it out."

"I don't have anything I want to fight over," I declared quickly. "He can have the house and whatever else. I just want him to leave my bank account alone. He can have any gold I've got in his vault, although I don't think there's much. I just want my personal things back at some point. I think I've got most of my clothes, but I still have pictures and jewelry and things to get. In fact, I'll send my mum over to get them all, and tell him that."

"Noted," George said, scribbling it all down on the outside of the folder. "Ron, perk up. It's not the end of the world. Hermione's right."

"I feel bloody awful," Ron grumbled into his arms, which were crossed on the table and supporting his head. "This is all my fault. I made stupid decisions, and this all could have been prevented. Now my brother's getting a divorce, and you're in danger, and our kid's in danger before it's even been born."

George rolled his eyes and stood. "You always were the dramatic Weasley. Well, my lunch break's nearly over. I'll pop over tomorrow and let you know how things go. Good luck with this mess, Hermione."

"Bye, George. Take care," I advised as he walked onto the front porch. "Ron, sweetheart?" I placed my hand on his knee and squeezed in what I hoped would be a comforting manner. He seemed to relax a bit when I did it. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No."

"Ron, maybe we should-"

"You were right before," he exclaimed suddenly. "Everyone's miserable, and it's entirely my fault. I had to go and fake my death, and then I had to come back and spend all that time with you, and now everything is messed up. I put you through those six years only for them to be in vain. And on top of it all, you're in trouble now. And it's all my fault."

"Ron, no," I said gently. "You did what you thought was best, and it nearly worked. It's just…fate can't be cheated sometimes, you know? Things always have a way of working out how they're supposed to, no matter what we do. I mean, we can control it to a certain extent, but there are some things that just can't be meddled with. Like us," I said quickly. "Ron, we're supposed to be together. That's why this is happening. We're supposed to have this baby. I bet if you had stayed and we'd gotten married, we'd still be having this baby right now. We used at least two forms of contraception nearly every single time, and never less than one, and I'm still pregnant. See, this baby was meant to happen. So don't feel bad. Charlie and I were falling apart anyway. That's not your fault. That would have happened without your help."

"That's not something to brag about," Ron growled.

"Believe me," I chuckled. "I know it. And…well, I'm ashamed to say this, and I've only told this to Harry, but…Ron, I didn't want this baby at first. I was so disappointed when I found out I was pregnant."

Ron's eyes widened. "Why were you disappointed? I thought you were excited."

"Well, I am now," I explained. "But when I thought it was Charlie's, I was devastated. I thought that I was going to be trapped with the life I had forever. And that's not how you should feel about your life. You shouldn't feel like you're trapped. You should be happy to be where you are. And if I had been, I wouldn't have felt that way. That baby was keeping me away from you for good, because I knew if you ever did come back, I couldn't leave it. It was trapping me."

Ron stared at me in awe. "So when did you change your mind?"

I shrugged. "I guess at the appointment. Harry kept telling me that when I finally saw it, or when I heard its heartbeat, it would be different. He said I would fall in love with it."

"Did you?"

"Absolutely. And not just because I found out that you're the father. I was already mesmerized by this little child growing inside me, and even thinking it was Charlie's, it was such a powerful experience that I felt such a strong connection to my baby. I had never seen it or felt it move, and I could feel connected to it. And then I realized it wasn't Charlie's, and I was all the more excited. But my point is that I wasn't happy there in the first place, Ron. I wouldn't have felt trapped if I was happy."

Ron shook his head. "No, I guess not. But I bet you were happy before I came back into the picture."

I considered this for a minute. "No, I was content. I had settled. And I still thought about you all the time. I still had those nightmares all the time. I was never truly happy while you were away."

Ron squeezed my hand. "And you're happy now?"

I beamed at him. "The happiest I've ever been." There was a short pause during which we gazed deeply into each others' eyes. "You know, most women don't have their babies on their due dates, especially the first ones. And they usually come late, at least later than the babies that come after. It's much quicker to dilate the second and third time around than the first."

Ron stared at me for a few moments and then laughed. "Been researching already, have you? How many books have you read?"

"Only two so far," I admitted. "And I only skimmed. But I'm just saying we might not even have to worry. We're due a week into April, and if we're late, like most first deliveries, we'll be in the clear. The odds are with us, Ron. Our baby is going to be fine. There's nothing to be unhappy about."

He still looked worried. "I don't know, Hermione. Think about how easily you got pregnant. We used the spells and you had your pills, and we've still got a baby on the way. That doesn't sound like good odds to me. I've got you leaving your husband just so you and your baby can be slaughtered."

"Don't," I squealed. "Ron, that's not gong to happen. No, it's not," I said again when he opened his mouth. "We're going to be fine. Please just _try_. Try to stay positive, please, for me. Keep me pleased. I don't care if you have to lie, just keep me thinking that everything is going to be fine."

"You want me to lie to you?" Ron snorted with a raised eyebrow.

"No," I growled. "You won't have to lie to me because it's going to be wonderful, and there's nothing to lie about. Right?" Ron looked unconvinced. "Sweetheart, less stress is better for baby."

He sighed and surrendered. "Baby is going to be more than fine. You're right, he's not due until April. You won't be stressed at all and we'll be fine. We'll make it through March alright."

"Without the slightest incident or complication," I added. "We'll make it to April before the baby comes."

"Yes, we will," Ron smiled. "We have to. We'll make it to George's birthday, and then we'll be in the clear."

"And then you can come back," I gasped. "You can come back and we can have our baby and be part of the big, happy Weasley clan." Ron leaned in and rested his cheek on my forehead. "It sounds perfect," I murmured. "Less than eight months to go, and then we can have that, finally."

"Finally," Ron agreed. "Like we should have had all those years ago. Just eight months to go."

"Eight months. I can do that," I said optimistically, thinking of Harry. I would come back just in time to see his newest child grow. I could explain everything to him. In just eight months, I could see my best friend again. I told this to Ron.

"See? It won't be so bad," Ron encouraged. "Just a few months and you can have him around all you want. Although, Hermione, that might get annoying. I love Harry, but having the git around twenty-four-seven might be a bit of a stretch."

"I won't need him around all the time. Don't you expect me to devote time to you?" I asked slyly. Ron grinned widely.

"Well, you'll have to if you want me to, er, _keep__you__pleased_." I blushed hard and Ron laughed. "I love you. Now let me make you some food. I bet the poor baby's starving. What does he want?"

I rolled my eyes. "Ron, I'm not really craving things yet. Just make something light so I can keep it down." Ron made a face. "What? You know there's morning sickness to deal with. I don't want to make it any worse than it has to be."

"You've got to eat something for the baby," Ron insisted. "I'm making you brunch. Everything we've got. Maybe _something_ will catch your eye."

I rolled my eyes. "Fine. I'm going to do some more reading." I made my way to the door before Ron snuck up behind me. "Ron, what're you doing?" I giggled as his hands slid around my waist.

"I just wanted to tell you," he said as he kissed my cheek, "that I love you. A lot. Incase you weren't aware already." He gasped. "Oh, I've just remembered, I picked up pancake mix the other day." He melted away from me, leaving me cold and lonely. "How do pancakes sound? Maybe the syrup will be too much, but you can always have them plain, or-"

"Ron." He looked back at me questioningly. "I love you, too. And thank you. You're wonderful."

Ron smirked and shook his head. "Nah, I'm just doing what I've gotta do. So is that a yes on the pancakes?"

* * *

><p>Harry stomped up to his in-laws house, trying to stamp out his frustration before he reached the door. The last thing he wanted was to take out his anger on his family. He didn't know that the Weasleys had helped Hermione go behind his back. In fact, it seemed much more likely that someone had impersonated them and hoodwinked the Grangers. Of course, thinking like this wasn't making Harry any <em>less<em> frustrated. He took a deep breath and burst through the kitchen door.

Molly smiled wearily at him and then returned to her cooking. Arthur was nowhere in sight. Harry noticed Charlie stirring his tea at the table. He looked rather glum.

"Harry, what brings you?" Molly asked. "Are Ginny and James coming along?"

"They don't know I'm here," Harry said quickly. "Molly, is Arthur coming straight home? I need a word." Charlie snorted. "Charlie, I'm telling you, I had nothing to do with-"

"Save it." Charlie picked up his tea and moved into the sitting room. "I'm not interested."

Harry sighed and pulled on his hair in aggravation. "Molly, this is urgent. Is Arthur-"

"The clock says he's on his way," Molly answered as she glanced over her shoulder at the wall. Harry glanced back at the infamous Weasley clock (now accompanied by one decorated with spouses and grandchildren). Arthur's hand was moving from 'traveling' to 'home'. A few seconds later he arrived in the doorway, smiling at his son-in-law.

"Harry! Is Ginny around? I hope you're staying for-"

"Where is she?"

Arthur and Molly exchanged looks. The guilt was visible on both their faces and there was panic in Arthur's eyes. "Harry…"

"So you _do_ know where she is?" Harry could feel his temper rising. "Well, go on."

"Harry, this isn't something we can discuss right now," Molly said eagerly. "Charlie's just in the other room."

"And he doesn't have a right to know where his wife is?" Harry shook his head. "I don't understand. Who'd you send her off with? How do you know he's not dangerous? She could be in real dang-"

"She's not in danger," Arthur said calmly. "Hermione is fine. I completely trust the man she's with. He won't let anything happen to her."

"But you can't know that," Harry said through gritted teeth. "You don't know anything about this guy."

"Harry, we _do_, though." Arthur swung his robe on the back of a chair and sat down. He rubbed his temples and motioned for Harry to sit across from him. "Look, we've taken care of everything. Hermione's safe, we've made sure of it. We wouldn't have sent her off if we weren't absolute-"

"The Grangers said the same thing," Harry interrupted angrily. "I just want to know what's going on. They told me you could fill me in."

Arthur shook his head. "No, Harry, I'm afraid I can't." Harry started to protest but Arthur held up a hand. "Look, sending a squad of Aurors to look after Hermione right now isn't going to do any good. You need to focus on the break-in right now and make it look like it's of no importance. It has to be just like any old burglary. The worse you make it look, the more likely it is that people will go after her."

"So people _are_ going after her?" Harry screeched. "No, Arthur, then she needs pro-"

"From what, Harry?" Arthur asked. "If all this was, was a burglary, then she's got nothing to be protected from. They broke in once. Why would they come back?"

"But it's more than that," Harry growled. He slammed his fist on the table. "Why can't you be straight with me about this? This is my best friend. I just want her to be safe. Why won't you let me make sure she's safe?"

"There's no need to involve you right now." Arthur added quickly, "We don't even know that she's in real danger just yet. No need to get all worked up before-"

"I'm not going to lose my best friend again." Arthur and Molly were silent. Harry's chest was heaving as he tried to regain control. He did not speak again until he had calmed down. "I already lost Ron, and I might as well have lost Hermione for awhile after it happened. I can't let that happen again."

Molly wiped the corners of her eyes on her apron. "Harry, you're not going to lose anybody, I promise you." She patted him on the shoulder, but Harry remained stiff. "Harry, we've set up all sorts of protection for them. Hermione and the baby are safe, safer than they would be with a bunch of Aurors on guard."

"But how can you trust the man she's with?" Harry asked. "You can't think a man who would break up your son's marriage would be _trustworthy_."

"He loves her," Arthur said sharply. "I can tell that much. He loves her and he's going to take care of her. We've made sure they're safe. That's all he wants. That's all any of us want, is for them to be safe."

"But what better way to do that than-"

The door slammed back against the wall as George swung it open. "Sorry," he grumbled, shutting it softly. "Is Charlie here?" Harry took note of the file in his hand.

"In the living room," Molly said, waving him away. "Now don't go upsetting him George, not any more than you have to."

"But you're involved, too." George turned and looked at Harry. Unlike his parents, he showed no sign of guilt. Instead, he looked annoyed. "You know where Hermione's gone, and you didn't bother to tell me she was gong."

George shrugged. "Trust me, Harry, it's better this way. Now, if you'll excuse-"

"No, enough of this running around," Harry nearly bellowed. "Why can't I get a straight answer from anybody? I don't understand why everyone insists on keeping me in the dark. What kind of danger is she in? Why can't I help her? And where the hell did you all send her? Damn it, George, somebody, _give__me__an__answer!__"_

"Are you saying Hermione's gone?"

Everyone jumped at Charlie's sudden arrival back in the kitchen. He was looking between them all for some sort of an explanation with a mad look in his eyes.

"Charlie, sit," Molly said, grabbing his arm. "Darling, we'll talk about it."

"I know you said your talk didn't go well," Charlie started accusingly. "But you didn't tell me you helped her get away."

"Charlie, please, just listen to us," Molly pleaded. He pulled his arm out of her grasp and glared at George, who held up the folder.

"You need to sign these." Charlie gaped at him. "She wants a clean break. Says she'll send her mother over for her personal belongings, but you can have nearly whatever you want. The house, whatever money's in your vault. All you have to do is-"

"No," Charlie said quickly. "Not until we get a chance to talk this out. She doesn't know what she wants right now. She's hormonal and-"

"She's not gonna let up on this one, mate," George said with a shake of his head. "The longer you draw it out-"

"So you've been in contact with her?" Harry snapped. "I can't believe this. Why is she in contact with _you_ and not _me_?"

"It's a long story, mate, one you're not ready to here," George said quickly. "Charlie, come on. You know she's not going to sit down and talk this out with you. She's set in her ways. Nothing's going to change her mind."

"But I love her," Charlie shouted. "I'm not just going to give up on her. So she had a momentary lapse of judgment, and now she thinks it won't work. But it will! I want her regardless. It doesn't make a difference to me. It doesn't make a damn difference."

"It makes a difference to her," George said gently. "Charlie, she loves him. She's not going to leave him now that they're together. He's the one she wants."

"The one she _thinks_ she wants."

George shook his head. "No. Trust me. Charlie, it's over. She's not coming back."

A long, pregnant pause cut through the tension in the air. George and Charlie continued to stare at each other; Charlie glared while George looked sympathetic. Finally, Charlie stepped forward and grabbed the file from his brother's hand. He flipped through the papers quickly. "Hand me a quill."

"Seriously?" Harry heard himself blurt, not really sure why he had bothered to say anything. Charlie didn't look up from the documents.

George handed Charlie a quill and bottle of ink. He skimmed through the papers again and gripped his quill. "This is what she wants?" he asked without looking up.

"Yeah," George said quietly. "This is what she wants."

Charlie stared blankly at the paper for a moment before signing his name. He thrust the file back at George and grabbed his cloak. "I'd like to not be bothered for awhile. I'll come by when I'm up for it." He stumbled out to the lawn and disapparated before any of them had time to say another word-not that anyone could think of another word to say.

"I can't believe you just did that," Harry said in awe. "Really, George, you can't encourage them to work out their problems?"

"Their problems aren't really _their_ problems, and they're very far from being worked out in the sense you're thinking," George said. "Harry, you've got to trust us. I know you want to look after Hermione, but that's going to do more harm than help at this point."

"Oh, really?" Harry said through his teeth. "I wouldn't know seeing as no one has bothered to explain this ordeal to me. Hermione was going to tell me. You heard her the other night. She was just a second away from telling me when Bill and you showed up."

George shook his head. "She wants to, but that's not what's best, and she understands that now."

"She understands…Merlin, it sounds like you've brainwashed her," Harry exclaimed. "George, she scared. She's terrified. She said they're after her baby, whoever 'they' is, and I've got reason to believe I know exactly what she's-"

"That _is_ what she's talking about."

Harry stared at George for a long, tense moment. "How would you know-?"

"I have my ways," George said noncommittally. "The prophecy's leaked out of your department, Harry."

"How do you know about-?"

"Never mind how we know," George snapped. "What's important is what we're doing about-"

"So you really think she's a candidate for the prophecy?" Harry laughed loudly. "That's impossible. I can count on one hand the number people who could be the father, if we're going by the prophecy, and I know that Hermione would never sleep with-"

"Careful, Harry," Arthur said quickly. "Let's not waste time with accusations and details like that. It is, however, possible that you've overlooked someone, don't you think? Or perhaps misunderstood the criteria?"

"No," Harry said. He looked at Arthur as though he was speaking another language. He couldn't comprehend that they all knew about the prophecy, or how they had found out. He didn't know a soul who could have told them…unless Hermione had explained it to them. In which case…"It's Neville, isn't it? She slept with Neville. Oh, that explains it, with her inviting him to-"

"Well, she's not off hiding with Neville, if that's what you're asking," George chuckled. "Now whether or not she's _slept_ with him, _I__'__ll_ never know, _but_-"

"George!" Molly screeched. "Harry, Hermione knows there's a possibility that she and her child are the ones the prophecy is talking about. Let's leave it at that. Now, she's going to be staying with-with her child's father, and they're under the greatest amounts of protection we could assemble, which was just as much as the Aurors could have given them. They've got a secret keeper and all."

"And I'm willing to say it's more efficient this way than it would be if you got your department involved," Arthur added. "The fewer people who know about it, the less likely they are to be caught, especially if the people who know aren't simply doing it as part of their job."

Harry considered this. "But…but what about me? Why can't I…I mean, I don't have to tell the department, but-"

"But that's not exactly being honest to your men, now, is it?" Arthur pointed out. Harry frowned and looked down at his hands. "Harry, you're just going to have to trust us. We're going to keep you as informed as possible, and we'll update you as soon as we can. But for now, this is the way things are going to have to be. The less questions, the better."

"So…" Harry thought long and hard about what the Weasleys were telling him. "So, you'll be in contact with Hermione this entire time? You can get to her if you need to? And she can get in contact with you if need be?" Arthur nodded. "Well…"

"You can send her messages any time you'd like, Harry." George took a seat next to his father and smiled softly. "I know this is hard. I'm more than willing to deliver letters if you'd like, and I'm sure she'd be more than willing to write you back. But don't expect her to go and tell you anything huge."

Harry nodded. "So I've just got to focus on Neville and Malfoy for now, is that it?"

"And we'll take care of Hermione," Arthur said. "Just go about your normal business. If anyone asks, as far as you know, Hermione is on a holiday for her personal health. That's it. And we'll explain this all to Charlie as best as we can, at least as soon as he comes around again." He stopped and smiled reassuringly. "Everything's going to be fine, Harry. You'll see."

"I hope you're right," Harry sighed, utterly exhausted. "I'm not okay with this, you know. But if this…if it's the only way to do…whatever has to be done, then-then I guess I'll support you."

"Excellent," George exclaimed happily.

"That's wonderful, Harry," Molly said tearfully. "You'll see. Everything is going to work out for the better. Now, why don't you floo Ginny and have her bring the baby over for dinner? George, you get Angelina. I want to spend plenty of time with my grandsons while they're still the only ones, you know."

* * *

><p>"Neville? Neville, darling, please wake up."<p>

Neville groaned and rolled over to face Hannah. She was sitting up slightly, so that her blonde hair caught the moonlight as it covered the right side of her face. Neville smiled gently and pushed it back behind her ear. "What's wrong?"

"I'm scared."

Neville sat up and turned on the bedside lamp. "Hannah, there's nothing you have to worry about."

"Nothing to worry about?" she laughed hysterically. "Our child's a target of dark wizards and it hasn't even started kicking in my womb."

Neville pulled Hannah into his arms and stroked her hair. "Hannah, I know. I'm scared, too. This is a nightmare, to say the least. But we've got time. The only people who know about all of this are the Aurors, and everyone else is in Azkaban. And they're going to stay that way."

Hannah sniffed. "Oh, Neville, I hope you're right." He placed his hand over his wife's stomach and smiled. "You have to be right. There's no other way."

"You're right. There's no other way." Hannah snuggled into Neville's chest and yawned. He leaned back and waved the light out with a flick of his wand. "Hannah, our baby's going to be fine. Do you think Harry would let anyone go through what he did?" She shook her head. "See? Harry will work almost as hard as I'm going to. We'll make sure that nothing happens to any of us. I'm willing to make an unbreakable vow on that. What d'ya say? Hannah?"

A tiny snore alerted Neville that Hannah had fallen asleep. Chuckling, he readjusted her in his arms and pulled her closer. "I promise, Love. We're going to be okay."

* * *

><p><em>Broken windows and empty hallways,<br>a pale dead moon in a sky streaked with grey.  
>Human kindness is overflowing,<br>and I think it's gonna rain today._

* * *

><p>AN: Finished at 4:36 am! Whoa, nelly! I am a force to be reckoned with. Well, my exams are done next Wednesday, so I'll have plenty of time to devote to this fic for about an entire month after. WOO-HOO! Until next time!

PS-Reviews make the world go 'round.


	16. Carry On

A/N: I'm not jumping ship; this fic will continue! I've been unmotivated and busy like crazy lately. Such is life. I'm hoping to have the next chapter up within the next two weeks but no promises. I'll see what I can do. You're all super awesome for sticking with me.

In the mean time, I've started several Romione oneshots and projects. Keep a look out. It's gonna be a sick amount of spam. (I'm using 'sick' positively here btw.)

And for your reading pleasure, I must recommend jesrod82, TMBlue, and KariAnn1222. Amazing Romione authors I aspire to be like.

Oh. And Harry. Lots of Harry, guys. Yay! (Oh, the song is Carry On by Fun.)

* * *

><p><em>You swore and said<em>  
><em>We are not,<em>  
><em>We are not shining stars.<em>  
><em>This I know<em>  
><em>Cause I never said we are.<em>

* * *

><p>The August heat didn't let up for several days. Finally, on my second Thursday with Ron, it was cool enough to wear jeans. After breakfast, I slid into them with a grateful smile. Shorts and skirts were beginning to get old and my mother had still been unable to retrieve my things from Charlie. The denim glided over my thighs and as I reached around to button the pants-<p>

"You've got to be kidding me."

I tugged again, this time harder. The two sides of the fabric wouldn't even come close to joining. I growled in frustration and tried a final time before letting go and punching my thighs. It was going to start getting cooler in a matter of weeks, and I didn't have anything else I could wear. Even if Mum brought me my clothes, they were all nearly the same size. This must have been one of those maddening symptoms of pregnancy. But I was only seven weeks along; how could I be this bloated at seven weeks? I dreaded to think what I would look like at thirty.

"Hermione?" Ron's voice carried in from the hall and I could hear his footsteps, each a little bit louder than the last, signaling his impending arrival. "Hermione, I thought we could take a walk." I tugged at my pants again furiously. "It's nice out, and I thought-" His voice was even louder now and his footsteps had stopped, which could only mean that he had reached me. And I still hadn't figured out how to close my pants. I turned around to face him with the uncooperative pieces in my hands and let out a frustrated sigh. My bangs levitated for a second and then blocked Ron from sight.

"Erm." I wiped away the offending strands of hair and raised my eyebrows at him. "Are you alright?"

I growled. "I'm fat." Ron paused for a moment before he looked me over. His eyes met mine and he began to laugh. "It's not funny," I hissed. I turned my back to him and tried to pull my pants shut, hoping for a miracle. After a few more fruitless attempts, Ron came up behind me. He settled his chin on my head and rested his hands on my newly gained pack of chub.

"Mm, Hermione, you're not fat, not even close." He rubbed circles on my stomach and, despite my frustration, I couldn't help but shiver and lean back against him. He was warm and muscular, the way I always remembered him. Just feeling him behind me, I could imagine what he would look like if something, Merlin forbid, were to happen to his shirt-

"Feel this," Ron instructed. He moved his hands from my gut to grab mine and replace them. "Does that feel like fat to you?" I sighed and shook my head. "That's because it's not fat. It's baby. This," he began as he slid his hands a bit further and laced our fingers together, "is all our baby. The fact that your jeans don't fit is good. It means Baby is healthy and growing."

I snorted. "When did you become such an expert?"

Ron shrugged. "Well, I've been feeling a bit more paternal lately, now that I've been looking through your books." I pulled my hands out from under his and rubbed his forearms.

"Have you really? Ron, that's wonderful. Now we'll both be prepared-"

"Well, I don't know about _all that_-"

"We'll both be _better_ prepared," I giggled. I glanced sideways into the mirror. Everything seemed picture perfect. It was Ron and me against the world, completely caught up in each other and with a healthy baby on the way. I couldn't have asked for more. Well…aside from the hiding. But beggars can't be choosers, right?

I slid my hands down to cover Ron's, overtop our baby. It was still odd to think. _Our baby_. I couldn't believe that I was pregnant. What had happened to Hogwarts Hermione? Where did she go, and where did this woman come from? I could barely accept that I was expecting. But the fact that Ron, my Quidditch star, my best friend, the boy with dirt on his nose on the Hogwarts Express, was having a baby was even harder to accept. And then there was the fact that I was the one carrying it…

But nothing had ever felt so right. The prospect of waking up next to Ron every morning and one day sitting on our front porch in rocking chairs while our grandchildren played in the yard was the most appealing idea in the world. It was the most natural. What else was I supposed to do with my life? Where else did I belong, if not in his arms?

Ron turned to look into the mirror with me. He rested his cheek against my head and swayed us slightly. Just when I thought the view couldn't get any better. His thumbs massaged my belly and he pulled me as close to him as humanly possible without breaking me. It was still a relief to know he had missed me just as much as I had missed him, and especially to know that he had no intentions of letting go ever again.

"Ron?" I said in a small voice.

"Hmm?" He sounded sleepy. I contemplated the idea of a day in bed, just holding him and watching him sleep peacefully in the heat.

"Ron," I said again. "We're having a baby."

He kissed my hair. "I know. It's bloody wicked, yeah?"

I smiled at our reflection as he continued to shower my head with kisses. "Yeah. Bloody wicked."

* * *

><p>"Potter!"<p>

Harry glanced up from his desk and looked down the long hall which made up most of the Auror department. His boss, Hadrian Miller, was practically skipping to his desk. By the time he reached his destination, Harry was at a complete loss as to what the purpose of his journey could be.

"We've got some kids for you in investigation room five."

Harry groaned. "What sort of trouble this time? Oh, don't tell me it's the Brocklehurst twins again." He shuddered at the memory of vicious, toothy toasters.

Miller shook his head excitedly. "It's bigger than that, Potter. Take a look." He set the file down on his desk. "I think you'll like what you find. Don't disappoint me down there."

The elder man limped off and Harry lazily flipped open the cover of the profile. He scanned over the names and paused halfway through the first confession. He read it three times. Without missing a beat, he was on his feet with the file in his hands and dodging Ministry employees on his way to the examination rooms.

* * *

><p>"It's really nice out," I remarked as Ron slid his arm around my waist. "It's lucky that Mum finally brought me my things." After weeks of waiting, she had finally arranged with Charlie to have my remaining possessions brought to her house, where I went to sort through them. It was just in time, too, as it was nearly October now and the weather was getting chillier each day. Most of the clothes weren't much good to me now, thanks to the baby. I was able to stretch the older ones to fit me a bit longer, but I refused to risk my nicer outfits.<p>

"I'm surprised she got them so quickly, to be honest," Ron said. We were taking a trail in the forest just next to his-_our_-home. It was still and peaceful, but for the birds chirping away and the occasional scampering of tiny woodland feet.

"It's really beautiful out here."

"Tell me about it."

I could see Ron staring at me adoringly in the corner of my eye. I bit my bottom lip and felt the heat rush to me face. "Oh, shut up."

"Nah." He whirled me around to face him and sighed. "It really is. And so are you. We've lost too much time." I frowned and stroked his cheek with the back of my hand. "So I owe you a lot of compliments. I've got to make up for all the ones I've missed. I might have to spend several life times doing it, but I'll catch up, I promise."

"Oh, don't," I breathed as a tear ran down my cheek before he caught it with his lips. "You're here now. We're together now, and that's all that matters. We can just erase those years now. Just…just having me here with you, and with this baby on the way…you've more than made up for it."

Ron shook his head. "We'd have gotten to this point anyway. We missed all the fun stuff. Double dates…all the times we could have made it awkward for Harry…getting drunk and snogging at my brothers' weddings…" He stopped and sighed. "Shit, Hermione, we didn't even get our own wedding."

I was completely caught up in him. We could have been in an automobile factory and it wouldn't have mattered. His fingers were running up and down my back and his words were piercing every bit of me. I just wanted to stay there forever. I wanted his touch to color every moment and I didn't want him to stop talking. He could have preached to me about putting house elves back into slavery and it probably wouldn't have mattered at this point. I'd lost track of what he was saying by now.

Unable to hold back, I kissed him mid-sentence. Several moments later, I released him and chuckled. "We'll have our own wedding. As soon as everything gets sorted…I mean, with Charlie and all of that." Ron shook his head. "What? Isn't that what you want?"

He smiled faintly. "Of course I want to marry you. But I want it all. The ceremony, the reception, the cake…I want to see you walking towards me in some stunning dress. I want everyone to see how beautiful you look in it and hate me because they don't get to have what I have."

I frowned. "That may not happen for awhile yet."

"I know." He shrugged. "But I think it'll be worth the wait. And we'll have a little ring bearer ready made by then," he chuckled as he ran his fingers across my stomach.

"Or flower girl," I laughed. "Alright. We'll get all that. But no complaining about the dress I pick."

"I won't," Ron said with a shake of his head. "As long as it's not too frilly. Or skimpy."

"_Ron_."

"What? I can't have you running around in next to nothing. That's for my eyes only. Ow, watch it!"

"You just said you wouldn't!" I sighed and leaned even further into him, winding my arms around his neck. "We'll have a real wedding, then. And a real family."

"And a different house," Ron interjected. "One closer to our old apartment."

"Not too close. We have to give the kids room. Can you imagine if the Muggles got a look at their accidental magic?"

"Oh, so now we're having _multiple_ children?"

"If this one doesn't turn out too badly." I frowned suddenly. "Do you think we'll make it out of this alright? Honestly," I added quickly. "Answer honestly."

Ron hesitated. "I'm not gonna lie and tell you I'm not worried. Especially after the way things have worked out. It's like…it's like fate or something. And it's fucking scary to think whatever this force is that's brought us together seems to be leading us down some crazy, dangerous path, but I think…I think we'll be okay. It sounds stupid, but in my heart, I just…I can feel it, you know? That we'll have tomorrow and thousands of days after to be together. Because that's really what we were meant to have. We're supposed to be with each other for a very, very long time. Maybe forever. And if something were to happen…if they came after us, or our baby, then we wouldn't have forever, would we?"

I stared at the amazing man before me, wondering what, exactly, had happened to Ron Weasley, the boy who lacked confidence in just about every aspect of his life. "I love you," I blurted. "I love you so much." I attacked him with a passionate kiss. "You're wonderful. And that's everything I needed to hear. I don't know how you do it, either. You always seem to know just how to make me feel exactly what I need to feel."

Ron shrugged. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I wasn't saying it to make you feel better. It was the truth. Every word of it was-Merlin, help me-straight from the heart."

I nodded. "I know. And I think that's part of what makes it so fantastic." I stood on my toes and kissed his cheek. "Let's get back to the house." Ron grinned deviously.

"We've just spent the whole morning in bed, Hermione."

"But you just said yourself you have a lot to make up-"

Something snapped in the trees and I froze. "Ron-"

He pressed his finger to my mouth, ordering me to be silent. We were just outside the reach of the fidelius charm. Anyone could be here, waiting for us. I inwardly scolded myself for letting us come this far from the house. One of Ron's hands left my back and grabbed for the wand in his waistband. Before he could remove it, a figure stumbled out of the woods and onto our path.

"Well, finally!" the petite blonde shrieked. She started at us with her eyes fixed on Ron, who pulled his t-shirt down over his wand. "I haven't seen-no, I haven't even _heard_ from you in _weeks_. Where the hell-" She paused as she caught site of me and slowed her walk. "Have…you…been?" There was another slight pause which she used to look me over. "And who the hell is _she_?"

"Darlene," Ron said calmly. Her attention snapped back to him and I could immediately see why; it was all over her face. I tensed as I watched yet another hormonally driven girl drool over _my_ Ron. "This is Hermione. Hermione, Darlene. She lives just on the other side of the trees here." I nodded and gave her my best smile, but she seemed unimpressed. "Hermione's…er…well, an old friend."

_Who just happens to be carrying your child_, something in the back of my brain hissed. Why wasn't he mentioning that bit?

Darlene smirked at me and turned back to Ron. "Right. Why haven't you been around lately? I feel like every time I'm supposed to come by, I've had something come up." I fought a smile, glad to know that the protective charms were working.

"Oh, sorry," Ron mumbled. "I've just been helping Hermione get settled in." Darlene's eyes widened. "She's living with me now. Did I forget to mention-?"

"Yes," Darlene snapped. "You did." She still did not so much as look at me. "Hmph. Well, when are we going to hang out?"

"Soon," Ron said quickly. "We should all hang out sometime. I think you two would get along great." Darlene glared at me and I smiled back politely, pulling Ron even closer to me. She took note of the motion and clucked her tongue.

"That sounds fun," I said, leaning my head against Ron's shoulder.

Darlene suddenly smiled. "Of course it does. Yeah, I'm game. Why don't I come over tonight?"

"Oh, yeah, okay. To my place, right? The little bungalow just up past the path, outside the forest, where Hermione and I live?" I winced slightly; he had just strung another person into the fidelus charm. And while I trusted his judgment, I couldn't help but feel uneasy about the inclusion of someone else-especially someone I didn't know at all and was giving me death glares.

She smiled brightly and confusion seeped into her expression for a moment. "Right…where you've always lived since I met you."

Ron felt my glare and glanced back at me for a second. "Um…actually, how about I just come by and walk you over? How's seven?"

Darlene smiled. "I'll be there. Seven o'clock. We should cook together." She pulled a hair off the front of her skirt and beamed at him. "Well, I'd best be going. I should head into town and get some stuff for tonight." She moved forward and kissed Ron on the cheek. "I'll see you tonight." She gave me a much more painful smile. "Nice to meet you…uh…"

"Hermione," I said clearly. "It was a pleasure to meet you, _Darlene_. We'd _love_ to have you tonight." Her smile faltered slightly before she nodded and headed back from whence she came. "Ron, who was-"

"She's a neighbor," Ron sighed. "And the only real friend I've had over the past few years, so be nice."

"She fancies you."

Ron turned us back in the direction of the house. "Yeah."

I was taken aback by his answer. "And have you…are you two…I'm not sure how to ask this."

Ron shook his head. "No. Well, yeah." I stopped. "A couple of weeks ago, she sorta…came onto me. We snogged for a minute before I…well, I just couldn't." He started walking again and it took me a moment to follow. It was unfair for me to feel this way. I had been married-and not just to anyone, but to Ron's brother-and yet I was feeling jealous and betrayed over him snogging a girl I'd never met before _one time_.

"So you two…I'm coming between something, aren't I?"

"Not at all," Ron scoffed. "It was a one time deal, and we were both tipsy. I mean, I know she fancies me. She told me so herself. But I told her I couldn't. Nothing's happened since."

"You couldn't?"

"Nope." I looked at him quizzically and he gave an exasperated sigh. "If you must know, I told her I couldn't get over you." My heart warmed immediately. "I couldn't stop thinking about you. I had just gotten back from seeing you, and moving on was just…it wasn't in the cards for me. Good thing, huh?" He smiled and put his arm around my shoulders.

"You're wonderful."

"I know."

* * *

><p>"We got those from the kitchen. They was in the drawer under the sink."<p>

Harry looked again at the plastic bag and the broken quills it held before tossing it on the table behind him. "And what were you hoping to do with quills?"

The boy on the other side of the table shrugged. "Not sure. I only saw 'em when we was lookin' around. Tarleton was the one who took 'em. Prob-ly wanted to show off to the boss."

Harry frowned. "The boss?"

The boy sighed and leaned forward on his elbows. "I'm afraid I can't tell ya that one, Mister Potter. I don't have all the answers. And I'm sworn to secrecy on the ones I have."

"Richards," Harry growled. "You're already in a holding cell. You're going to be tried and probably put into Azkaban. You haven't got anything left to lose. You might as well come clean with me."

Richards shook his head and ran his hand across his dirty blonde buzz cut. "No can do, chief." Harry frowned and the boy sobered up a bit. "Look, the other guys might say something. I've told you all I can tell."

Harry sighed and nodded as he made a few notes in his folder. "Alright, Richards. I just need your official confession one more time, then."

The boy nodded. "Yessir." He cleared his throat. "I, Michael P. Richards, and my associates broke into Mr. and Mrs. Weasleys home on the eleventh of August."

Harry nodded. "Alright, the guys will take you back in a moment. Thanks for your cooperation." He gathered up his papers and headed for the door.

"Mister Potter?" Harry turned back and looked at the young criminal. "I hope you can figure it out. Whatever it is you need to know. For your friend's sake."

Harry scowled. "For my friend's sake? What's that supposed to mean?"

The boy shrugged. "I'm sure you've got an idea of what I'm talking about. Can't say anything else though, remember?"

Frustrated, Harry left the examination room and headed straight for Miller's office. He couldn't believe his luck. This group of six boys had come out of nowhere and confessed to breaking into Charlie and Hermione's house. They had evidence to prove it. Harry would have recognized Hermione's favorite quills anywhere and he knew for a fact that she had kept a stock under the sink in her kitchen.

His anger had only grown by the time he reached the office. He didn't wait for a reply after his quick knock and stormed into the room. He threw the files down on the desk and crossed his arms, clenching his jaw. Miller raised his eyebrows at him and a man sitting in one of the chairs across from him cleared his throat. Harry jumped and went red in the face. "Oh, I'm sorry, sir. I didn't realize you had company."

Miller shook his head. "It's fine, Potter. Have a seat. You remember Dougal?"

Harry nodded and shook hands with the large, graying man on his right. Torvald Dougal had been high up in the department when Harry and Ron had first started. He left shortly after Ron's…_incident_…and Harry had scarcely seen him since. He gave Harry a warm smile and crossed his legs. "Good to see you again, Potter."

"Likewise, Mister Dougal. Sir, I finished the interviews."

Miller raised his eyebrows expectantly. "And?" Harry shook his head. "Well, we'll just have to see where the trial gets us."

"What's the case?" Dougal asked in his deep, authoritative voice. Harry started to tell him that it was confidential when Miller chimed in.

"Burglary. But we think it might be part of a conspiracy."

Dougal nodded approvingly. "Interesting. We're not talking some young boys' gang, are we?"

"No, it's even better. We think it's connected to that prophecy. You remember the one."

"The second Chosen One, of course," Dougal said with a hint of laughter in his voice. "Oh, we had our share of excitement with that one, didn't we?"

"Erm…sir?" Harry said, drawing the older men from their conversation. He felt slightly annoyed that they were talking about a potentially high threat case with such ease. "When would you like me to set the trial for?"

Miller nodded at Dougal. "Eager, our Mister Potter. Certainly gets things done around here, doesn't fool around."

"That's a good quality in an Auror, Hadrian. Keep him around. We could use more like Potter in this department. And Longbottom, what happened to Longbottom?"

"Still here," Miller said proudly.

"Excellent," Dougal said excitedly. "So much potential. Reminds me a bit of his parents, that boy. In the best of ways. Frank and Alice were excellent. Some of the best in their day, I'd venture to say." Miller nodded in agreement.

"Sir, the date? For the trial?"

"Oh, right." Harry watched as his boss pulled himself out of conversation long enough to pull out his planner. He flipped through some pages before he settled on one page. It was several moments before he responded. "The best I can do right now is the beginning of January."

Harry gaped. "January? Sir, it's September!"

Miller shook his head. "We've got a few high profile cases booked, and then with all of the negotiations for the Goblins. You know the finer details of that are going to take months. Several slip ups on both ends along the way to take care of. Spaces for important cases that pop up-"

"And this can't be counted as such?"

"Afraid not, Potter. It's just a burglary."

Dougal agreed. "He's right, Potter. You might see a connection, but you haven't got much to go on, have you? All they'll see it as is a burglary. And that's not enough for them to bump up a case." He pulled a thick cigar out of from the inside of his robes and lit it. Harry angled his head away from the smell. "Besides, this will give you plenty of time to contact your witnesses."

"Witnesses? Sir, it was a burglary. They were gone by the time-"

"Yes, but what about the owners of the house in question?"

"They've already confessed. What do we need witnesses for?"

Dougal smirked and tapped the end of his cigar on Miller's ash tray. "You need witnesses, Potter. You can't just have them confess. You need accounts or you'll look like you're just bullying them into confession."

Miller shook his head. "Our Ministry knows Potter better than all that. Besides, this is his brother-in-law's house we're talking about."

Dougal froze and shot Harry a hard look. A moment later, his face softened. "Of course, with it being so close to home…that's not going to help your case if you want to get a closer date."

Harry shook his head. "Maybe not. But if I can find another link…something…anything, really-"

A knock on the door interrupted his plea and a moment later, Miller's secretary stepped in. "Sorry, Mister Miller. It's just that you've got a visitor, for the Sterling case."

"Oh, yes, of course," Miller said as he stood quickly. "Just a moment, gentlemen, you'll have to excuse me."

"Duty calls," Dougal called before taking another drag of his cigar. Once Miller had shut the door behind him, he turned to face Harry. "So, Potter. You really think this has something to do with that prophecy?"

Unsure of how to answer, Harry hesitated before simply nodding.

"And we've got the usual list of candidates? No more, no less?"

"Just Longbottom and Malfoy, sir."

Dougal nodded. "Wasn't there a-oh, that's right, Weasley. Shame. The boy had potential." He casually flicked his cigar against the ash tray again as Harry looked to the ground, willing the unwanted memories Dougal had brought to the front his mind to repress themselves yet again. "Well, they're aware, aren't they?"

"Of course," Harry said. "In fact…" He hesitated again. Dougal had been out of the department for years, but he had been one of Harry's role models from the start. And if Miller was willing to trust him with the dirty details, why couldn't Harry? "See, they've both come to me. Their wives are pregnant. Both of them. I don't see how it's a coincidence."

Dougal considered this. "It's awfully peculiar, yes. But, Potter, how does this coincide with the break-in? I thought that was in-laws' place?"

"Erm…well, see, my friend, Hermione Granger-well, it's Weasley now-"

"Weasley?"

"Yes, but not Ron. His brother. She married his brother. But she dated Ron. Before…well, anyway, she's expecting as well, and-"

"So now you're including one of our candidate's ex-girlfriends in this, despite the fact that he's dead-been dead for years?" Dougal appeared annoyed by the idea.

"Sir, she's been…_off_ lately. Acting strangely. She's divorcing my brother-in-law. She told him the night of the burglary, actually, that she was leaving him. Told him it's someone else's baby."

Dougal sighed. "Potter, you cannot just tie your concern for your friend to any old case."

Harry couldn't hold back any longer. "Sir, this is Hermione Granger we're talking about. If it weren't for her, there's not doubt in my mind that Voldemort would be around today and we wouldn't be having this conversation. It makes sense for people to be after her. And she knows, sir, all about the prophecy, and she seems to think it's connected. It's one of the first things she mentioned after the break-in, that it might relate to her child."

Harry took a deep breath and watched as Dougal blew out rings of smoke. His respect for the old man was slowly dwindling. Finally, the elder of the two said, "I think you may be on to something here, Potter."

"You-you do?"

He nodded. "I do. But there's no way you can get clearance based on what you've got. If you just did a bit more digging…well, you might be able to pull something off." Harry nodded. "I've got faith in you. I bet you could get a closer date."

The door opened suddenly and Miller bustled back into the office looking flustered. "Sorry about that, it's a ruddy mess. This case will be the death of me." He clasped his hands together as he reached the back of his desk and smiled down at Harry and Dougal. His expression withered as he sensed their tension. "What did I miss?"

"You know, Hadrian," Dougal said as he finally looked away from Harry to Miller. "This kid might be on to something. You're sure there's not a sooner date?"

Miller shook his head. "Well, not without a higher clearance. And I'm afraid we haven't got enough evidence for that. Sorry, Potter."

Harry shook his head. "It's alright. I'm sure I'll be able to find _some_thing…within the week, at least, Sir." His boss nodded.

"Alright, Potter, but I don't want this interfering with your other cases. I'll have the boys in the holding cells for the night and if you don't need them tomorrow, it's back to Azkaban until the trial."

Harry nodded. "Thank you, sir."

"You know, Potter," Dougal began, "if you're worried about Longbottom and Malfoy, we could always revert to the old ways."

Harry frowned. "The old ways, sir?"

Dougal chuckled. "Oh, come on, Potter. How do you think your parents hid themselves away? Surely not on their own?"

Harry shook his head. "No, but they had Dumbledore."

Dougal laughed. "They had Dumbledore! Are you hearing this, Hadrian? Of course they had Dumbledore, but where do you think they drew their support from? Well, the Order, of course!"

"Well…we did consider that," Harry admitted. "We've just found no reason to get worked up just yet. Not until this group came in, anyway."

Dougal nodded. "Of course. But now that you've got the suspicion that they know, you'll have to do something. Take precautions and all that. You know, I've got a lot of time on my hands now that I've retired," he said pointedly. "I'd be glad to help you revive it."

The respect that was dwindling suddenly reappeared. "Really?" Harry asked. "That'd be brilliant, sir. Thank you. I'm sure Neville would really appreciate it. And Malfoy, of course, but…well, I'll have to tell him."

"Anything for the Longbottom family," Dougal said with a smile. "Now run along. Don't you have some research to do?"

Harry retrieved his files from the desk and excused himself. For the first time in weeks, he felt hopeful about the case. He couldn't wait to tell the Weasleys that the Order was coming back. It was only a matter of time before he'd be able to see Hermione again. But first, he had business to attend to.

* * *

><p>Harry caught up with Kingsley Shacklebolt just as he was moving from his main office to a press conference on the latest with the Goblin negotiations.<p>

"I'd be glad to talk, Harry, but you'll have to keep it brief. And mobile. We're running behind already. Big surprise, right?" He chuckled at his own sarcasm but stopped when he saw the solemn expression on Harry's face. "What is it, Harry?"

"Sir," Harry began hesitantly. "This case-the break-in, I mean-well…I think it might be related to the, um, _other_ thing we've been discussing lately." Kingsley stopped and motioned for his team to spread out. Harry waited for his clearance before he started talking again. "Here's the thing. Hermione's pregnant, and she's been acting…odd. I've got no idea where she's gone to, but she's leaving Charlie, and she told me before she ran off that she had things to tell me. Things that I think relate to this case. Well, to both cases."

Kingsley scowled. "She ran off? Where to?" Harry shook his head and explained all that George and the Weasleys had told him. "This can't be good. I'll be meeting with George soon. So what did you have in mind, Potter?"

Harry sighed. "I need to get this trial over with as quickly as possible. Miller says the soonest he can work it in is January, but who knows what else could happen by then. It's like…it's like they're part of something bigger. I want to get as much out of them as we can now and put a stop to whatever their associates are planning."

Kingsley nodded. "Naturally. Well, I'll have a look at the calendar, but I don't see why we can't have it set up by the end of November. I know it's not as soon as you'd like, but this way you can have time to sort out things with Hermione and get the Order set up."

Harry frowned. "I'm not sure that I'll be able to get anywhere near Hermione to sort things out."

"Send George," Kingsley said simply. "Send him with her summons. She'll have to testify at the trial. And that'll get your foot in the door. I'll send the papers to your office by tomorrow morning."

Harry breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Kingsley. You have no idea how much this helps. Sorry to have kept you."

Kingsley shrugged. "We were running late as it was. What else is new? Now get back to your office and don't say a word to Miller. He's got Dougal in the office today, and I don't want much of this to get back to that nosy son of a bitch."

Harry paled. "Erm…is there something wrong with him?"

Kingsley shook his head and rolled his eyes up at the ceiling. "You'd think someone who enjoys sticking his nose all over our cases so much would be working and not retired. He tries to do more than most of the Aurors we've got, I swear. Well, run along, Potter. In fact, take the afternoon off. Merlin knows the next time you'll be able to have a peaceful afternoon with all of this coming up."

* * *

><p><em>But I like to think<em>  
><em>I can cheat it all<em>  
><em>To make up for the times I've been cheated on.<em>  
><em>And it's nice to know<em>  
><em>When I was left for dead<em>  
><em>I was found, and now I don't roam these streets.<em>

* * *

><p>AN: Not the longest, but if I'd included the next scene, it would have gone on too long. And now you know that the next chapter is already in the works which means a quicker update :D Yay. Reviews are better than candy.


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